Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate / Counties in Massachusetts

Counties in Massachusetts by unemployment rate

Hampden County had the highest unemployment rate of 14 counties in May 2026, at 4.9%. Norfolk County had the lowest, at 3.8%. The median was 4.1% and the figure for Massachusetts was 4.5%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest4.9Hampden County
Lowest3.8Norfolk County
Median4.114 counties
Massachusetts4.5History

All counties, May 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

Hampden CountyHampden County: 4.9 %4.9Dukes CountyDukes County: 4.8 %4.8Nantucket CountyNantucket County: 4.7 %4.7Bristol CountyBristol County: 4.5 %4.5Barnstable CountyBarnstable County: 4.4 %4.4Essex CountyEssex County: 4.3 %4.3Berkshire CountyBerkshire County: 4.1 %4.1Plymouth CountyPlymouth County: 4.1 %4.1Suffolk CountySuffolk County: 4.1 %4.1Worcester CountyWorcester County: 4.1 %4.1Franklin CountyFranklin County: 3.9 %3.9Hampshire CountyHampshire County: 3.8 %3.8Middlesex CountyMiddlesex County: 3.8 %3.8Norfolk CountyNorfolk County: 3.8 %3.8
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCountiesMay 2026 (%)Change on May 2025
1Hampden County4.9-0.3 pts
2Dukes County4.80 pts
3Nantucket County4.7+0.3 pts
4Bristol County4.5-0.3 pts
5Barnstable County4.4-0.2 pts
6Essex County4.3-0.2 pts
7Berkshire County4.1-0.1 pts
7Plymouth County4.1-0.3 pts
7Suffolk County4.1-0.3 pts
7Worcester County4.1-0.3 pts
11Franklin County3.9-0.1 pts
12Hampshire County3.8-0.3 pts
12Middlesex County3.8-0.3 pts
12Norfolk County3.8-0.3 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 4.9% in May 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest unemployment rate?

Norfolk County, with 3.8% in May 2026.

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