Worcester, Massachusetts Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Worcester fell 0.0 percentage points in August 2019 to 3.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points higher than the Massachusetts rate. The unemployment rate in Worcester peaked in December 2009 at 9.5% and is now 6.3 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.2% in April 2019, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.0 percentage points. You can also compare Worcester unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	August 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.7%	0.0	-0.1
Massachusetts	2.9%	0.0	-0.4
Worcester	3.2%	0.0	-0.3

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with August 2019 data as September metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Worcester, Massachusetts, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Worcester, Massachusetts Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Worcester peaked in January 2010 at 31,332. There are now 19,780 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area.

Unemployed Persons	August 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
Worcester	11,552	-66	-1,234

Number of Unemployed Persons

Worcester, Massachusetts Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Massachusetts Unemployment Rate	Worcester Unemployment Rate	Worcester Unemployed
September 2019	3.5%	2.9%	—	—
August 2019	3.7%	2.9%	3.2%	11,552
July 2019	3.7%	2.9%	3.2%	11,618
June 2019	3.7%	3.0%	3.3%	11,929
May 2019	3.6%	3.0%	3.3%	11,996
April 2019	3.6%	2.9%	3.2%	11,822
March 2019	3.8%	3.0%	3.3%	11,973
February 2019	3.8%	3.0%	3.3%	12,065
January 2019	4.0%	3.1%	3.4%	12,291
December 2018	3.9%	3.1%	3.4%	12,364
November 2018	3.7%	3.1%	3.4%	12,335
October 2018	3.8%	3.1%	3.4%	12,350