Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Cities in Massachusetts

Cities in Massachusetts by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Lawrence, MA had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 54 cities in 2022, at 10.4%. Somerville, MA had the lowest, at 2.8%. The median was 5.7% and the figure for Massachusetts was 5.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest10.4Lawrence, MA
Lowest2.8Somerville, MA
Median5.754 cities
Massachusetts5.3History

All cities, 2022

Lawrence, MA: 10.4 %Lawrence, MA10.4Amherst Town, MA: 9.3 %Amherst Town, MA9.3Southbridge Town, MA: 9.2 %Southbridge Town, MA9.2Chelsea, MA: 8.9 %Chelsea, MA8.9Springfield, MA: 8.7 %Springfield, MA8.7Fall River, MA: 8.4 %Fall River, MA8.4Randolph Town, MA: 8.3 %Randolph Town, MA8.3Brockton, MA: 8.2 %Brockton, MA8.2Fitchburg, MA: 7.7 %Fitchburg, MA7.7Woburn, MA: 7.4 %Woburn, MA7.4Revere, MA: 7.3 %Revere, MA7.3New Bedford, MA: 7.2 %New Bedford, MA7.2Pittsfield, MA: 7.1 %Pittsfield, MA7.1Holyoke, MA: 6.8 %Holyoke, MA6.8Quincy, MA: 6.7 %Quincy, MA6.7Malden, MA: 6.6 %Malden, MA6.6Worcester, MA: 6.6 %Worcester, MA6.6Boston, MA: 6.6 %Boston, MA6.6Everett, MA: 6.6 %Everett, MA6.6Gardner, MA: 6.4 %Gardner, MA6.4Chicopee, MA: 6.1 %Chicopee, MA6.1Haverhill, MA: 6 %Haverhill, MA6Leominster, MA: 6 %Leominster, MA6North Attleborough Town, MA: 5.9 %North Attleborough Town, MA5.9West Springfield Town, MA: 5.8 %West Springfield Town, MA5.8Gloucester, MA: 5.8 %Gloucester, MA5.8Newburyport, MA: 5.7 %Newburyport, MA5.7Lowell, MA: 5.7 %Lowell, MA5.7Lynn, MA: 5.7 %Lynn, MA5.7Northampton, MA: 5.6 %Northampton, MA5.6Taunton, MA: 5.6 %Taunton, MA5.6Franklin Town, MA: 5.4 %Franklin Town, MA5.4Marlborough, MA: 5.4 %Marlborough, MA5.4Greenfield, MA: 5.4 %Greenfield, MA5.4Winthrop Town, MA: 5.3 %Winthrop Town, MA5.3Agawam Town, MA: 5.2 %Agawam Town, MA5.2Salem, MA: 5 %Salem, MA5North Adams, MA: 5 %North Adams, MA5Framingham, MA: 5 %Framingham, MA5Bridgewater Town, MA: 4.8 %Bridgewater Town, MA4.8Weymouth Town, MA: 4.7 %Weymouth Town, MA4.7Westfield, MA: 4.5 %Westfield, MA4.5Peabody, MA: 4.5 %Peabody, MA4.5Attleboro, MA: 4.4 %Attleboro, MA4.4Palmer Town, MA: 4.3 %Palmer Town, MA4.3Medford, MA: 4.2 %Medford, MA4.2Braintree Town, MA: 3.9 %Braintree Town, MA3.9Melrose, MA: 3.9 %Melrose, MA3.9Newton, MA: 3.5 %Newton, MA3.5Cambridge, MA: 3.3 %Cambridge, MA3.3Beverly, MA: 3.3 %Beverly, MA3.3Waltham, MA: 3.1 %Waltham, MA3.1Barnstable Town, MA: 3.1 %Barnstable Town, MA3.1Somerville, MA: 2.8 %Somerville, MA2.8Lawrence, MA: 10.4 %Lawrence, MA10.4Amherst Town, MA: 9.3 %Amherst Town, MA9.3Southbridge Town, MA: 9.2 %Southbridge Town, MA9.2Chelsea, MA: 8.9 %Chelsea, MA8.9Springfield, MA: 8.7 %Springfield, MA8.7Fall River, MA: 8.4 %Fall River, MA8.4Randolph Town, MA: 8.3 %Randolph Town, MA8.3Brockton, MA: 8.2 %Brockton, MA8.2Fitchburg, MA: 7.7 %Fitchburg, MA7.7Woburn, MA: 7.4 %Woburn, MA7.4Revere, MA: 7.3 %Revere, MA7.3New Bedford, MA: 7.2 %New Bedford, MA7.2Pittsfield, MA: 7.1 %Pittsfield, MA7.1Holyoke, MA: 6.8 %Holyoke, MA6.8Quincy, MA: 6.7 %Quincy, MA6.7Malden, MA: 6.6 %Malden, MA6.6Worcester, MA: 6.6 %Worcester, MA6.6Boston, MA: 6.6 %Boston, MA6.6Everett, MA: 6.6 %Everett, MA6.6Gardner, MA: 6.4 %Gardner, MA6.4Chicopee, MA: 6.1 %Chicopee, MA6.1Haverhill, MA: 6 %Haverhill, MA6Leominster, MA: 6 %Leominster, MA6North Attleborough Town, MA: 5.9 %North Attleborough Town, MA5.9West Springfield Town, MA: 5.8 %West Springfield Town, MA5.8Gloucester, MA: 5.8 %Gloucester, MA5.8Newburyport, MA: 5.7 %Newburyport, MA5.7Lowell, MA: 5.7 %Lowell, MA5.7Lynn, MA: 5.7 %Lynn, MA5.7Northampton, MA: 5.6 %Northampton, MA5.6Taunton, MA: 5.6 %Taunton, MA5.6Franklin Town, MA: 5.4 %Franklin Town, MA5.4Marlborough, MA: 5.4 %Marlborough, MA5.4Greenfield, MA: 5.4 %Greenfield, MA5.4Winthrop Town, MA: 5.3 %Winthrop Town, MA5.3Agawam Town, MA: 5.2 %Agawam Town, MA5.2Salem, MA: 5 %Salem, MA5North Adams, MA: 5 %North Adams, MA5Framingham, MA: 5 %Framingham, MA5Bridgewater Town, MA: 4.8 %Bridgewater Town, MA4.8Weymouth Town, MA: 4.7 %Weymouth Town, MA4.7Westfield, MA: 4.5 %Westfield, MA4.5Peabody, MA: 4.5 %Peabody, MA4.5Attleboro, MA: 4.4 %Attleboro, MA4.4Palmer Town, MA: 4.3 %Palmer Town, MA4.3Medford, MA: 4.2 %Medford, MA4.2Braintree Town, MA: 3.9 %Braintree Town, MA3.9Melrose, MA: 3.9 %Melrose, MA3.9Newton, MA: 3.5 %Newton, MA3.5Cambridge, MA: 3.3 %Cambridge, MA3.3Beverly, MA: 3.3 %Beverly, MA3.3Waltham, MA: 3.1 %Waltham, MA3.1Barnstable Town, MA: 3.1 %Barnstable Town, MA3.1Somerville, MA: 2.8 %Somerville, MA2.8
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Lawrence, MA10.4+0.3 pts
2Amherst Town, MA9.3-0.7 pts
3Southbridge Town, MA9.2+0.1 pts
4Chelsea, MA8.9+1.5 pts
5Springfield, MA8.7-0.8 pts
6Fall River, MA8.4+0.1 pts
7Randolph Town, MA8.3-0.5 pts
8Brockton, MA8.2-0 pts
9Fitchburg, MA7.7-0.5 pts
10Woburn, MA7.4+0.3 pts
11Revere, MA7.3+0.2 pts
12New Bedford, MA7.2-0.3 pts
13Pittsfield, MA7.1-0.2 pts
14Holyoke, MA6.8-0.4 pts
15Quincy, MA6.7-0.3 pts
16Malden, MA6.6-0.1 pts
17Worcester, MA6.6+0.4 pts
18Boston, MA6.6-0.3 pts
19Everett, MA6.6+0.1 pts
20Gardner, MA6.4-0.4 pts
21Chicopee, MA6.1-0.3 pts
22Haverhill, MA6-0.8 pts
23Leominster, MA6+0.5 pts
24North Attleborough Town, MA5.9+0.3 pts
25West Springfield Town, MA5.8-0.4 pts
26Gloucester, MA5.8+0.1 pts
27Newburyport, MA5.7-1 pts
28Lowell, MA5.7-0.1 pts
29Lynn, MA5.70 pts
30Northampton, MA5.6+0.8 pts
31Taunton, MA5.6+0.3 pts
32Franklin Town, MA5.4+0.2 pts
33Marlborough, MA5.4-0.1 pts
34Greenfield, MA5.4-0.4 pts
35Winthrop Town, MA5.3-0.6 pts
36Agawam Town, MA5.2+0.3 pts
37Salem, MA50 pts
38North Adams, MA5+0.2 pts
39Framingham, MA5-0.1 pts
40Bridgewater Town, MA4.8-0.2 pts
41Weymouth Town, MA4.7-1.3 pts
42Westfield, MA4.5-0.3 pts
43Peabody, MA4.5+0.1 pts
44Attleboro, MA4.4-0.9 pts
45Palmer Town, MA4.3-1.2 pts
46Medford, MA4.2-0 pts
47Braintree Town, MA3.9+0.7 pts
48Melrose, MA3.9+0.2 pts
49Newton, MA3.5+0.2 pts
50Cambridge, MA3.3-0.4 pts
51Beverly, MA3.3+0.1 pts
52Waltham, MA3.1-0.4 pts
53Barnstable Town, MA3.1-0.1 pts
54Somerville, MA2.8-0.3 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed civilians aged 16 and over as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

An average over five years of survey responses, so it moves slowly. The official monthly and annual rates for states and counties are unemployment_rate, from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. 4 cities with data in other periods have no value for 2022 and are left out rather than filled from another source. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in Massachusetts by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Massachusetts by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2022. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in Massachusetts by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2022.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Massachusetts by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_massachusetts_by_2022,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Massachusetts by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2022. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Massachusetts by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2022.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Cities in Massachusetts by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which city has the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Lawrence, MA, with 10.4% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Somerville, MA, with 2.8% in 2022.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12. 4 cities have no value for 2022 and are not ranked.

Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Cities in Massachusetts: more rankings