Department of Numbers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, Massachusetts Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Boston fell 0.0 percentage points in March 2023 to 3.4%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.1 percentage points lower than the Massachusetts rate. The unemployment rate in Boston peaked in April 2020 at 16.1% and is now 12.7 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.3% in May 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Boston unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate March 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.5% -0.1 -0.1
Massachusetts 3.5% -0.2 -0.2
Boston 3.4% 0.0 0.0
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with March 2023 data as April metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Boston, Massachusetts, National

Boston, Massachusetts monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Boston, Massachusetts Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Boston peaked in April 2020 at 416,880. There are now 322,277 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 92,412 in June 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 2,191. Boston employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Boston, Massachusetts) is also available.

Unemployed Persons March 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Boston 94,603 -149 -1,058

Number of Unemployed Persons

Boston, Massachusetts Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Massachusetts
Unemployment Rate
Boston
Unemployment Rate
Boston
Unemployed
April
2023
3.4%
March
2023
3.5% 3.5% 3.4% 94,603
February
2023
3.6% 3.7% 3.4% 94,752
January
2023
3.4% 3.5% 3.4% 94,236
December
2022
3.5% 3.7% 3.4% 94,734
November
2022
3.6% 3.7% 3.4% 94,776
October
2022
3.7% 3.8% 3.4% 94,607
September
2022
3.5% 3.7% 3.4% 93,956
August
2022
3.7% 3.9% 3.3% 93,181
July
2022
3.5% 3.7% 3.3% 92,551
June
2022
3.6% 3.7% 3.3% 92,412
May
2022
3.6% 3.7% 3.3% 92,935

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers.