Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate / Counties in Massachusetts

Counties in Massachusetts by unemployment rate

Hampden County had the highest unemployment rate of 14 counties in August 2025, at 5.8%. Nantucket County had the lowest, at 2.7%. The median was 4.3% and the figure for Massachusetts was 4.5%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest5.8Hampden County
Lowest2.7Nantucket County
Median4.314 counties
Massachusetts4.5History

All counties, August 2025

CSVChart (SVG)

Hampden CountyHampden County: 5.8 %5.8Bristol CountyBristol County: 5.1 %5.1Essex CountyEssex County: 4.8 %4.8Worcester CountyWorcester County: 4.8 %4.8Plymouth CountyPlymouth County: 4.7 %4.7Suffolk CountySuffolk County: 4.7 %4.7Hampshire CountyHampshire County: 4.3 %4.3Middlesex CountyMiddlesex County: 4.3 %4.3Norfolk CountyNorfolk County: 4.3 %4.3Franklin CountyFranklin County: 4.1 %4.1Berkshire CountyBerkshire County: 4 %4Barnstable CountyBarnstable County: 3.7 %3.7Dukes CountyDukes County: 2.9 %2.9Nantucket CountyNantucket County: 2.7 %2.7
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCountiesAugust 2025 (%)Change on August 2024
1Hampden County5.8+0.3 pts
2Bristol County5.1+0.3 pts
3Essex County4.8+0.4 pts
3Worcester County4.8+0.4 pts
5Plymouth County4.7+0.3 pts
5Suffolk County4.7+0.4 pts
7Hampshire County4.30 pts
7Middlesex County4.3+0.4 pts
7Norfolk County4.3+0.3 pts
10Franklin County4.1+0.3 pts
11Berkshire County40 pts
12Barnstable County3.70 pts
13Dukes County2.90 pts
14Nantucket County2.70 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. 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 and counties. Other countries and the World: ILO modelled estimates published by the World Bank, aged 15 and over.

Survey-based. Available for Spain, regions, provinces, EU countries, US states and US counties, not Spanish municipalities. For municipalities use registered_unemployment_rate. US national and state rates are seasonally adjusted; county rates are not. Countries without a national or Eurostat series get the annual ILO modelled estimate, a model output rather than a survey result.

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

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics: unemployment rate by county, not seasonally adjusted. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which county has the highest unemployment rate?

Hampden County, with 5.8% in August 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest unemployment rate?

Nantucket County, with 2.7% 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: unemployment rate by county, not seasonally adjusted. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Unemployment rate: other rankings

Counties in Massachusetts: more rankings