November 2024 | Released December 19, 2024

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In November, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 6, rose in 25, and remained unchanged in 20.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent.

• In November, payroll jobs rose in 39 states and fell in 12. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.9 percent in Washington. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Vermont.

Massachusetts Employment Snapshot

• In November, Massachusetts added 800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4 percent. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 1,700 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Massachusetts added 27,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.7 percentage points from 3.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 227,000 in November, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 44th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In November, Massachusetts’s private sector lost 700 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 19,800 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 900 net private payroll jobs.

• In November, employment in Massachusetts fell by 3,158, and over the past 12 months it rose by 72,704.

• Massachusetts’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 66.4 percent in November and ranks 9th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 1.5 percentage points.

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Massachusetts Payroll Employment

• Massachusetts added 800 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during November. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 1,700 jobs. Massachusetts nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 227,000 in November, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 44th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Massachusetts lost 700 private sector jobs, or 0 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during November. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 900 jobs. Massachusetts private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 194,000 jobs in November, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 41st 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 November were Leisure and Hospitality (2,100) and Government (1,500).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Professional and Business Services (-1,500) and Construction (-1,700).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (16,800) and Government (7,300).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Manufacturing (-4,000) and Information (-4,100).

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 66.4 percent in November.

• Massachusetts ranks 9th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Massachusetts was 67.4 percent in January 2019, and the 10-year low was 60.8 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.5 percent in November.