Worcester, Massachusetts Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Worcester fell 0.0 percentage points in October 2018 to 3.6%. 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 November 2009 at 9.4% and is now 5.8 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.6% in December 2017, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.0 percentage points. You can also compare Worcester unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	October 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.7%	0.0	-0.4
Massachusetts	3.5%	-0.1	0.0
Worcester	3.6%	0.0	-0.1

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with October 2018 data as November 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 31,352. There are now 18,187 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 12,754 in December 2017, the number of unemployed has now grown by 411.

Unemployed Persons	October 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
Worcester	13,165	-44	-1

Number of Unemployed Persons

Worcester, Massachusetts Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Massachusetts Unemployment Rate	Worcester Unemployment Rate	Worcester Unemployed
November 2018	3.7%	—	—	—
October 2018	3.7%	3.5%	3.6%	13,165
September 2018	3.7%	3.6%	3.6%	13,209
August 2018	3.9%	3.6%	3.9%	14,156
July 2018	3.9%	3.6%	3.9%	14,311
June 2018	4.0%	3.5%	3.8%	14,032
May 2018	3.8%	3.5%	3.8%	13,685
April 2018	3.9%	3.5%	3.8%	13,853
March 2018	4.1%	3.5%	3.8%	13,811
February 2018	4.1%	3.5%	3.8%	13,549
January 2018	4.1%	3.5%	3.6%	12,788
December 2017	4.1%	3.5%	3.6%	12,754