BLS LAUS · August 2026 preliminary · not seasonally adjusted
Massachusetts Unemployment Rate by County
Massachusetts statewide was 4.4% in August 2026, against 4.6% in August 2025; the United States was 4.3% on the same basis. The 14 counties and equivalents below are listed alphabetically, each with its August 2026 rate and the change from August 2025. They are not ranked: county estimates carry model error BLS does not publish, so an order would compare noise.
14 areas · rate August 2026 · change from August 2025
- Barnstable County3.8% · +0.1 pts
- Berkshire County4.1% · +0.1 pts
- Bristol County4.9% · −0.2 pts
- Dukes County2.9% · 0.0 pts
- Essex County4.6% · −0.2 pts
- Franklin County4.1% · 0.0 pts
- Hampden County5.7% · −0.1 pts
- Hampshire County3.9% · −0.4 pts
- Middlesex County4.0% · −0.3 pts
- Nantucket County/town2.7% · 0.0 pts
- Norfolk County4.0% · −0.3 pts
- Plymouth County4.5% · −0.2 pts
- Suffolk County4.4% · −0.3 pts
- Worcester County4.5% · −0.3 pts