Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate / Counties in Massachusetts

Counties in Massachusetts by unemployment rate

Hampden County had the highest unemployment rate of 14 counties in September 2025, at 5.3%. Nantucket County had the lowest, at 3%. The median was 4.15% and the figure for Massachusetts was 4.6%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest5.3Hampden County
Lowest3Nantucket County
Median4.1514 counties
Massachusetts4.6History

All counties, September 2025

CSVChart (SVG)

Hampden CountyHampden County: 5.3 %5.3Bristol CountyBristol County: 4.7 %4.7Essex CountyEssex County: 4.5 %4.5Suffolk CountySuffolk County: 4.5 %4.5Worcester CountyWorcester County: 4.5 %4.5Plymouth CountyPlymouth County: 4.4 %4.4Hampshire CountyHampshire County: 4.2 %4.2Middlesex CountyMiddlesex County: 4.1 %4.1Norfolk CountyNorfolk County: 4.1 %4.1Berkshire CountyBerkshire County: 4 %4Barnstable CountyBarnstable County: 3.8 %3.8Franklin CountyFranklin County: 3.7 %3.7Dukes CountyDukes County: 3.3 %3.3Nantucket CountyNantucket County: 3 %3
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCountiesSeptember 2025 (%)Change on September 2024
1Hampden County5.3+0.7 pts
2Bristol County4.7+0.6 pts
3Essex County4.5+0.7 pts
3Suffolk County4.5+0.7 pts
3Worcester County4.5+0.8 pts
6Plymouth County4.4+0.7 pts
7Hampshire County4.2+0.6 pts
8Middlesex County4.1+0.7 pts
8Norfolk County4.1+0.7 pts
10Berkshire County4+0.6 pts
11Barnstable County3.8+0.4 pts
12Franklin County3.7+0.6 pts
13Dukes County3.3+0.5 pts
14Nantucket County3+0.3 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 5.3% in September 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest unemployment rate?

Nantucket County, with 3% in September 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