Department of Numbers

Worcester, Massachusetts Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Worcester rose 0.1 percentage points in March 2023 to 3.9%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.4 percentage points higher than the Massachusetts rate. The unemployment rate in Worcester peaked in April 2020 at 15.2% and is now 11.3 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.8% in May 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Worcester 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
Worcester 3.9% +0.1 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: Worcester, Massachusetts, National

Worcester, Massachusetts monthly unemployment rate chart

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 36,924 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 13,591 in January 2023, the number of unemployed has now grown by 247.

Unemployed Persons March 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Worcester 13,838 +83 -415

Number of Unemployed Persons

Worcester, Massachusetts Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Massachusetts
Unemployment Rate
Worcester
Unemployment Rate
Worcester
Unemployed
April
2023
3.4%
March
2023
3.5% 3.5% 3.9% 13,838
February
2023
3.6% 3.7% 3.8% 13,755
January
2023
3.4% 3.5% 3.8% 13,591
December
2022
3.5% 3.7% 3.8% 13,730
November
2022
3.6% 3.7% 3.8% 13,733
October
2022
3.7% 3.8% 3.8% 13,725
September
2022
3.5% 3.7% 3.8% 13,701
August
2022
3.7% 3.9% 3.8% 13,667
July
2022
3.5% 3.7% 3.8% 13,648
June
2022
3.6% 3.7% 3.8% 13,690
May
2022
3.6% 3.7% 3.8% 13,811

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.