Worcester, Massachusetts Unemployment
The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Worcester rose 0.2 percentage points in November 2023 to 3.0%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.1 percentage points higher than the Massachusetts rate. The unemployment rate in Worcester peaked in April 2020 at 15.2% and is now 12.2 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.8% in September 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare Worcester unemployment with unemployment in other cities.
| Unemployment Rate | November 2023 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National | 3.7% | -0.1 | +0.1 |
| Massachusetts | 2.9% | +0.1 | -0.8 |
| Worcester | 3.0% | +0.2 | -0.8 |
Unemployment Rate: Worcester, Massachusetts, National
Note: Recessions shown in gray.
Worcester, Massachusetts Unemployed
The number of people unemployed in Worcester peaked in April 2020 at 50,762. There are now 40,242 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 9,854 in September 2023, the number of unemployed has now grown by 666.
| Unemployed Persons | November 2023 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester | 10,520 | +518 | -3,213 |
Number of Unemployed Persons
Worcester, Massachusetts Unemployment History
| Date | National Unemployment Rate |
Massachusetts Unemployment Rate |
Worcester Unemployment Rate |
Worcester Unemployed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2023 |
3.7% | — | — | — |
| November 2023 |
3.7% | 2.9% | 3.0% | 10,520 |
| October 2023 |
3.8% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 10,002 |
| September 2023 |
3.8% | 2.6% | 2.8% | 9,854 |
| August 2023 |
3.8% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 10,163 |
| July 2023 |
3.5% | 2.5% | 3.0% | 10,585 |
| June 2023 |
3.6% | 2.6% | 3.2% | 11,300 |
| May 2023 |
3.7% | 2.8% | 3.4% | 12,155 |
| April 2023 |
3.4% | 3.1% | 3.7% | 13,114 |
| March 2023 |
3.5% | 3.5% | 3.9% | 13,833 |
| February 2023 |
3.6% | 3.7% | 3.8% | 13,755 |
| January 2023 |
3.4% | 3.5% | 3.8% | 13,591 |
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. ↩
Department of Numbers
The Department of Numbers contextualizes public data so that individuals can form independent opinions on everyday social and economic matters.
