Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate / Cities in Massachusetts

Cities in Massachusetts by unemployment rate

Springfield, MA had the highest unemployment rate of 58 cities in August 2025, at 7.8%. Barnstable Town, MA had the lowest, at 3.5%. The median was 4.65% and the figure for Massachusetts was 4.5%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest7.8Springfield, MA
Lowest3.5Barnstable Town, MA
Median4.6558 cities
Massachusetts4.5History

All cities, August 2025

Springfield, MA: 7.8 %Springfield, MA7.8Lawrence, MA: 6.8 %Lawrence, MA6.8Holyoke, MA: 6.7 %Holyoke, MA6.7Brockton, MA: 6.2 %Brockton, MA6.2New Bedford, MA: 6.2 %New Bedford, MA6.2Gardner, MA: 6.1 %Gardner, MA6.1Fall River, MA: 6 %Fall River, MA6Southbridge Town, MA: 6 %Southbridge Town, MA6Fitchburg, MA: 5.9 %Fitchburg, MA5.9Randolph Town, MA: 5.9 %Randolph Town, MA5.9Chicopee, MA: 5.8 %Chicopee, MA5.8Taunton, MA: 5.7 %Taunton, MA5.7Lowell, MA: 5.4 %Lowell, MA5.4Chelsea, MA: 5.3 %Chelsea, MA5.3Lynn, MA: 5.3 %Lynn, MA5.3Methuen, MA: 5.2 %Methuen, MA5.2Bridgewater Town, MA: 5.1 %Bridgewater Town, MA5.1Amherst Town, MA: 5 %Amherst Town, MA5Haverhill, MA: 5 %Haverhill, MA5North Adams, MA: 5 %North Adams, MA5West Springfield Town, MA: 5 %West Springfield Town, MA5Westfield, MA: 5 %Westfield, MA5Worcester, MA: 5 %Worcester, MA5Leominster, MA: 4.9 %Leominster, MA4.9Attleboro, MA: 4.7 %Attleboro, MA4.7Boston, MA: 4.7 %Boston, MA4.7Gloucester, MA: 4.7 %Gloucester, MA4.7Palmer Town, MA: 4.7 %Palmer Town, MA4.7Salem, MA: 4.7 %Salem, MA4.7Greenfield, MA: 4.6 %Greenfield, MA4.6Peabody, MA: 4.6 %Peabody, MA4.6Revere, MA: 4.6 %Revere, MA4.6Agawam Town, MA: 4.4 %Agawam Town, MA4.4Beverly, MA: 4.4 %Beverly, MA4.4Everett, MA: 4.4 %Everett, MA4.4Malden, MA: 4.4 %Malden, MA4.4Newburyport, MA: 4.4 %Newburyport, MA4.4Quincy, MA: 4.4 %Quincy, MA4.4Weymouth Town, MA: 4.4 %Weymouth Town, MA4.4Woburn, MA: 4.4 %Woburn, MA4.4Braintree Town, MA: 4.3 %Braintree Town, MA4.3Easthampton, MA: 4.3 %Easthampton, MA4.3Framingham, MA: 4.2 %Framingham, MA4.2Marlborough, MA: 4.2 %Marlborough, MA4.2Newton, MA: 4.2 %Newton, MA4.2Watertown, MA: 4.2 %Watertown, MA4.2Franklin Town, MA: 4.1 %Franklin Town, MA4.1Medford, MA: 4.1 %Medford, MA4.1Pittsfield, MA: 4.1 %Pittsfield, MA4.1Waltham, MA: 4.1 %Waltham, MA4.1Winthrop Town, MA: 4.1 %Winthrop Town, MA4.1Amesbury, MA: 4 %Amesbury, MA4Melrose, MA: 4 %Melrose, MA4North Attleborough Town, MA: 3.9 %North Attleborough Town, MA3.9Northampton, MA: 3.9 %Northampton, MA3.9Cambridge, MA: 3.8 %Cambridge, MA3.8Somerville, MA: 3.7 %Somerville, MA3.7Barnstable Town, MA: 3.5 %Barnstable Town, MA3.5Springfield, MA: 7.8 %Springfield, MA7.8Lawrence, MA: 6.8 %Lawrence, MA6.8Holyoke, MA: 6.7 %Holyoke, MA6.7Brockton, MA: 6.2 %Brockton, MA6.2New Bedford, MA: 6.2 %New Bedford, MA6.2Gardner, MA: 6.1 %Gardner, MA6.1Fall River, MA: 6 %Fall River, MA6Southbridge Town, MA: 6 %Southbridge Town, MA6Fitchburg, MA: 5.9 %Fitchburg, MA5.9Randolph Town, MA: 5.9 %Randolph Town, MA5.9Chicopee, MA: 5.8 %Chicopee, MA5.8Taunton, MA: 5.7 %Taunton, MA5.7Lowell, MA: 5.4 %Lowell, MA5.4Chelsea, MA: 5.3 %Chelsea, MA5.3Lynn, MA: 5.3 %Lynn, MA5.3Methuen, MA: 5.2 %Methuen, MA5.2Bridgewater Town, MA: 5.1 %Bridgewater Town, MA5.1Amherst Town, MA: 5 %Amherst Town, MA5Haverhill, MA: 5 %Haverhill, MA5North Adams, MA: 5 %North Adams, MA5West Springfield Town, MA: 5 %West Springfield Town, MA5Westfield, MA: 5 %Westfield, MA5Worcester, MA: 5 %Worcester, MA5Leominster, MA: 4.9 %Leominster, MA4.9Attleboro, MA: 4.7 %Attleboro, MA4.7Boston, MA: 4.7 %Boston, MA4.7Gloucester, MA: 4.7 %Gloucester, MA4.7Palmer Town, MA: 4.7 %Palmer Town, MA4.7Salem, MA: 4.7 %Salem, MA4.7Greenfield, MA: 4.6 %Greenfield, MA4.6Peabody, MA: 4.6 %Peabody, MA4.6Revere, MA: 4.6 %Revere, MA4.6Agawam Town, MA: 4.4 %Agawam Town, MA4.4Beverly, MA: 4.4 %Beverly, MA4.4Everett, MA: 4.4 %Everett, MA4.4Malden, MA: 4.4 %Malden, MA4.4Newburyport, MA: 4.4 %Newburyport, MA4.4Quincy, MA: 4.4 %Quincy, MA4.4Weymouth Town, MA: 4.4 %Weymouth Town, MA4.4Woburn, MA: 4.4 %Woburn, MA4.4Braintree Town, MA: 4.3 %Braintree Town, MA4.3Easthampton, MA: 4.3 %Easthampton, MA4.3Framingham, MA: 4.2 %Framingham, MA4.2Marlborough, MA: 4.2 %Marlborough, MA4.2Newton, MA: 4.2 %Newton, MA4.2Watertown, MA: 4.2 %Watertown, MA4.2Franklin Town, MA: 4.1 %Franklin Town, MA4.1Medford, MA: 4.1 %Medford, MA4.1Pittsfield, MA: 4.1 %Pittsfield, MA4.1Waltham, MA: 4.1 %Waltham, MA4.1Winthrop Town, MA: 4.1 %Winthrop Town, MA4.1Amesbury, MA: 4 %Amesbury, MA4Melrose, MA: 4 %Melrose, MA4North Attleborough Town, MA: 3.9 %North Attleborough Town, MA3.9Northampton, MA: 3.9 %Northampton, MA3.9Cambridge, MA: 3.8 %Cambridge, MA3.8Somerville, MA: 3.7 %Somerville, MA3.7Barnstable Town, MA: 3.5 %Barnstable Town, MA3.5
%. Source: BLS, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCitiesAugust 2025 (%)Change on August 2024
1Springfield, MA7.8+0.6 pts
2Lawrence, MA6.8+0.3 pts
3Holyoke, MA6.7+0.3 pts
4Brockton, MA6.2+0.9 pts
4New Bedford, MA6.2+0.3 pts
6Gardner, MA6.1+0.7 pts
7Fall River, MA6+0.5 pts
7Southbridge Town, MA6+0.7 pts
9Fitchburg, MA5.9+0.5 pts
9Randolph Town, MA5.9+0.6 pts
11Chicopee, MA5.8+0.5 pts
12Taunton, MA5.7+0.7 pts
13Lowell, MA5.4+0.3 pts
14Chelsea, MA5.3+0.7 pts
14Lynn, MA5.3+0.6 pts
16Methuen, MA5.2+0.5 pts
17Bridgewater Town, MA5.1+0.3 pts
18Amherst Town, MA5-0.5 pts
18Haverhill, MA5+0.6 pts
18North Adams, MA5-0.1 pts
18West Springfield Town, MA5+0.3 pts
18Westfield, MA5+0.2 pts
18Worcester, MA5+0.3 pts
24Leominster, MA4.9+0.3 pts
25Attleboro, MA4.7+0.1 pts
25Boston, MA4.7+0.4 pts
25Gloucester, MA4.7+0.3 pts
25Palmer Town, MA4.7-0.1 pts
25Salem, MA4.7+0.3 pts
30Greenfield, MA4.6+0.4 pts
30Peabody, MA4.6+0.4 pts
30Revere, MA4.6+0.6 pts
33Agawam Town, MA4.4+0.4 pts
33Beverly, MA4.4+0.3 pts
33Everett, MA4.4+0.7 pts
33Malden, MA4.4+0.3 pts
33Newburyport, MA4.4+0.6 pts
33Quincy, MA4.4+0.5 pts
33Weymouth Town, MA4.4+0.3 pts
33Woburn, MA4.4+0.5 pts
41Braintree Town, MA4.3+0.6 pts
41Easthampton, MA4.3+0.4 pts
43Framingham, MA4.2+0.5 pts
43Marlborough, MA4.2+0.2 pts
43Newton, MA4.2+0.4 pts
43Watertown, MA4.2+0.3 pts
47Franklin Town, MA4.10 pts
47Medford, MA4.1+0.3 pts
47Pittsfield, MA4.1+0.1 pts
47Waltham, MA4.1+0.1 pts
47Winthrop Town, MA4.1+0.2 pts
52Amesbury, MA4+0.4 pts
52Melrose, MA4+0.3 pts
54North Attleborough Town, MA3.90 pts
54Northampton, MA3.9+0.1 pts
56Cambridge, MA3.8+0.3 pts
57Somerville, MA3.7+0.3 pts
58Barnstable Town, MA3.5-0.1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed people as a percentage of the labour force, using the survey definition of unemployment: without work, available and looking for work.

More on how it is measured
  • Spain: EPA, aged 16 and over.
  • EU: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 to 74.
  • United States: civilian labour force aged 16 and over, from the Current Population Survey for the nation and from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics models, consistent with that survey, for states, counties and cities.
  • United Kingdom regions: Labour Force Survey, aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted.
  • Canada: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted, for the country and the provinces.
  • Australia: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted, for the nation and the six states; the ABS publishes no seasonally adjusted series for the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.
  • New Zealand: Household Labour Force Survey, aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted for the country and not seasonally adjusted for regional council areas.
  • Norway: Statistics Norway Labour Force Survey, aged 15 to 74, seasonally adjusted monthly figures.
  • Sweden: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 to 74, seasonally adjusted and smoothed (the series Statistics Sweden gives in its monthly release), national.
  • Switzerland: Swiss Labour Force Survey (SLFS), ILO definition, permanent resident population aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted quarterly averages, national.
  • For other countries, the source may be OECD survey-based rates, annual survey-based rates compiled by the ILO in ILOSTAT, or annual ILO modelled estimates published by the World Bank.
  • ILO modelled estimates cover ages 15 and over.
  • The World series uses those ILO modelled estimates.

Survey-based for national and Eurostat series. Available for Spain, regions, provinces, EU countries, US states, US counties, US cities (those of 25,000 or more and smaller New England cities), United Kingdom regions, Canadian provinces, Australia and its six states, New Zealand with 10 of its regions, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland (national), not Spanish municipalities. For Spanish municipalities use registered_unemployment_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. 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. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03) (Cities in Massachusetts by unemployment rate, 2025-08) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29

MLA 9

Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03), Cities in Massachusetts by unemployment rate, 2025-08. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 30 Sept. 2026, https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/massachusetts-cities?period=2025-08. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). Cities in Massachusetts by unemployment rate, 2025-08. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/massachusetts-cities?period=2025-08.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03), Cities in Massachusetts by unemployment rate, 2025-08 [Dataset]. Available at: https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/massachusetts-cities?period=2025-08 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_cities_in_massachusetts_by_2026,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03): Cities in Massachusetts by unemployment rate, 2025-08}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/massachusetts-cities?period=2025-08. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03): Cities in Massachusetts by unemployment rate, 2025-08
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/30
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/massachusetts-cities?period=2025-08
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/massachusetts-cities?period=2025-08.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Cities in Massachusetts by unemployment rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which city has the highest unemployment rate?

Springfield, MA, with 7.8% in August 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which city has the lowest unemployment rate?

Barnstable Town, MA, with 3.5% in August 2025.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Unemployment rate: other rankings

Cities in Massachusetts: more rankings