February 2025 | Released March 28, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In February, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 8, rose in 14, and remained unchanged in 29.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent.

• In February, payroll jobs rose in 27 states and fell in 23. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in Wyoming. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.6 percent in Alaska.

Massachusetts Employment Snapshot

• In February, Massachusetts lost 2,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 3,300 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Massachusetts lost 8,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points from 3.8 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 151,000 in February, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 47th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In February, Massachusetts’s private sector lost 1,900 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it lost 12,200 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 4,200 net private payroll jobs.

• In February, employment in Massachusetts rose by 2,730, and over the past 12 months it rose by 38,747.

• Massachusetts’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 66.5 percent in February and ranks 10th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.5 percentage points.

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Massachusetts Payroll Employment

• Massachusetts lost 2,400 net payroll jobs, or -0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during February. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 3,300 jobs. Massachusetts nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 151,000 in February, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 47th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Massachusetts lost 1,900 private sector jobs, or -0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during February. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 4,200 jobs. Massachusetts private sector payroll employment has increased in 4 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 140,000 jobs in February, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts ranks 48th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during February were Education and Health Services (2,600) and Construction (1,400).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Financial Activities (-1,100) and Leisure and Hospitality (-4,600).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (10,400) and Government (4,100).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-4,700) and Professional and Business Services (-7,100).

Massachusetts Labor Force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in Massachusetts remained unchanged at 66.5 percent in February.

• Massachusetts ranks 10th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Massachusetts was 67.4 percent occurring in January 2019, and the 10-year low was 61.1 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 62.4 percent in February.