For Almost 50 years Massachusetts’ Unemployment Rate Has Been Better Than the US Average

By Sam Stebbins Published Dec 23, 8:20AM EST

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For Almost 50 years Massachusetts’ Unemployment Rate Has Been Better Than the US Average — © Tashka / iStock via Getty Images

In an era of economic uncertainty, the U.S. job market remains resilient. After falling to 3.7% in November 2023, the national unemployment rate has been below 4% for 22 consecutive months, the longest streak in over 50 years.

Of course, if history is any guide, much of the economy is subject to boom and bust cycles — and the job market is no exception. Since the mid-1970s, the average annual unemployment rate in the U.S. has fluctuated between 3.6% and nearly 10%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

These same cyclical patterns are also evident in Massachusetts, where the job market is supported largely by the professional and scientific and retail trade industries. The annual unemployment rate in the state was 3.8% in 2022, slightly higher than the state’s lowest annual jobless rate on record of 2.7%. However, conditions for job seekers have not always been so favorable.

According to historical BLS data going back to 1976, the annual jobless rate has been as high as 9.6% in Massachusetts. More than once, unemployment in the state has either matched or come close to that peak.

This is how Massachusetts’s job market has changed in each of the last 47 years.

1976: 9.6% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 9.6% (7.7% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 64.8% (61.6% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 266,593

1977: 7.8% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.8% (7.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 64.7% (62.3% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 216,300

1978: 6.2% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.2% (6.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.5% (63.2% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 173,340

1979: 5.5% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.5% (5.8% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.8% (63.7% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 156,567

1980: 5.6% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.6% (7.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.6% (63.8% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 165,319

1981: 6.5% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.5% (7.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 66.7% (63.9% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 188,679

1982: 7.7% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.7% (9.7% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.1% (64.0% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 232,237

1983: 6.8% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.8% (9.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 66.6% (64.0% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 206,331

1984: 4.8% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.8% (7.5% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.5% (64.4% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 145,357

1985: 4.0% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.0% (7.2% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.3% (64.8% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 126,151

1986: 3.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 3.9% (7.0% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.2% (65.3% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 122,238

1987: 3.2% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 3.2% (6.2% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.6% (65.6% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 104,458

1988: 3.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 3.3% (5.5% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.4% (65.9% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 104,033

1989: 4.2% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.2% (5.3% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 69.0% (66.5% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 134,562

1990: 6.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.3% (5.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.6% (66.5% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 205,825

1991: 8.6% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 8.6% (6.8% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.8% (66.2% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 281,802

1992: 8.5% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 8.5% (7.5% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.0% (66.4% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 280,003

1993: 7.0% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.0% (6.9% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.9% (66.3% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 232,197

1994: 6.0% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.0% (6.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.8% (66.6% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 199,658

1995: 5.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.3% (5.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.5% (66.6% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 174,881

1996: 4.4% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.4% (5.4% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.7% (66.8% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 149,442

1997: 3.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 3.9% (4.9% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.6% (67.1% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 134,057

1998: 3.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 3.3% (4.5% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.6% (67.1% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 112,652

1999: 3.2% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 3.2% (4.2% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.6% (67.1% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 110,779

2000: 2.7% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 2.7% (4.0% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.8% (67.1% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 94,210

2001: 3.7% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 3.7% (4.7% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.1% (66.8% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 128,540

2002: 5.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.3% (5.8% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.7% (66.6% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 179,347

2003: 5.7% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.7% (6.0% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 68.0% (66.2% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 195,695

2004: 5.1% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.1% (5.5% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.4% (66.0% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 173,839

2005: 4.8% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.8% (5.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 66.9% (66.0% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 162,583

2006: 4.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.9% (4.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.0% (66.2% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 160,659

2007: 4.6% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.6% (4.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 66.9% (66.0% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 155,327

2008: 5.5% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.5% (5.8% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 66.9% (66.0% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 183,607

2009: 8.1% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 8.1% (9.3% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 66.3% (65.4% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 280,925

2010: 8.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 8.3% (9.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 66.2% (64.7% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 280,687

2011: 7.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.3% (8.9% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.8% (64.1% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 251,677

2012: 6.7% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.7% (8.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.5% (63.7% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 235,201

2013: 6.7% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.7% (7.4% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.0% (63.2% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 233,545

2014: 5.7% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.7% (6.2% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.4% (62.9% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 204,704

2015: 4.8% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.8% (5.3% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.2% (62.7% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 172,113

2016: 3.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 3.9% (4.9% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.3% (62.8% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 145,171

2017: 3.7% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 3.7% (4.4% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.9% (62.9% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 142,131

2018: 3.4% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 3.4% (3.9% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.1% (62.9% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 132,571

2019: 2.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 2.9% (3.7% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 67.1% (63.1% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 116,181

2020: 8.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 8.9% (8.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.3% (61.7% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 350,774

2021: 5.7% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.7% (5.3% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.1% (61.7% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 207,291

2022: 3.8% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 3.8% (3.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.1% (62.2% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Massachusetts: 140,752

Massachusetts unemployment by year

Year	Massachusetts unemployment rate	U.S. unemployment rate	Unemployed population in Massachusetts
1976	9.6	7.7	266,593
1977	7.8	7.1	216,300
1978	6.2	6.1	173,340
1979	5.5	5.8	156,567
1980	5.6	7.1	165,319
1981	6.5	7.6	188,679
1982	7.7	9.7	232,237
1983	6.8	9.6	206,331
1984	4.8	7.5	145,357
1985	4.0	7.2	126,151
1986	3.9	7.0	122,238
1987	3.2	6.2	104,458
1988	3.3	5.5	104,033
1989	4.2	5.3	134,562
1990	6.3	5.6	205,825
1991	8.6	6.8	281,802
1992	8.5	7.5	280,003
1993	7.0	6.9	232,197
1994	6.0	6.1	199,658
1995	5.3	5.6	174,881
1996	4.4	5.4	149,442
1997	3.9	4.9	134,057
1998	3.3	4.5	112,652
1999	3.2	4.2	110,779
2000	2.7	4.0	94,210
2001	3.7	4.7	128,540
2002	5.3	5.8	179,347
2003	5.7	6.0	195,695
2004	5.1	5.5	173,839
2005	4.8	5.1	162,583
2006	4.9	4.6	160,659
2007	4.6	4.6	155,327
2008	5.5	5.8	183,607
2009	8.1	9.3	280,925
2010	8.3	9.6	280,687
2011	7.3	8.9	251,677
2012	6.7	8.1	235,201
2013	6.7	7.4	233,545
2014	5.7	6.2	204,704
2015	4.8	5.3	172,113
2016	3.9	4.9	145,171
2017	3.7	4.4	142,131
2018	3.4	3.9	132,571
2019	2.9	3.7	116,181
2020	8.9	8.1	350,774
2021	5.7	5.3	207,291
2022	3.8	3.6	140,752

About the Author Sam Stebbins →

Sam Stebbins is a writer at a673b.bigscoots-temp.com where his primary focus is on government policy, politics, companies, and broad social and economic trends. Sam has been writing in the money and news verticals for over 8 years and holds a bachelor's degree from Hobart College, which he earned in 2010. Sam resides in upstate New York and enjoys hiking, biking, canoeing, and skiing in the Adirondack Mountains and across the Northeast.