Mass. unemployment in August held steady for fourth consecutive month
Photo I Courtesy Phillips Precision
In August, Massachusetts' unemployment rate remained at 4.8% for the fourth month in a row.
The unemployment rate in Massachusetts remained unchanged in August for the fourth month in a row while still higher than the nation’s average for the ninth consecutive month.
The commonwealth’s unemployment rate sat at 4.8% in August, a figure 0.6 percentage points higher than in August 2024, according to a Friday press release from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. At 4.3%, the nation’s unemployment rate was 0.5 percentage points lower than the state’s.
The state’s labor force participation rate, a category defined as the number of residents 16 years and older who worked or were unemployed and actively sought work in the last four weeks, remained unchanged in August at 66.9%. The commonwealth’s total labor force included approximately 3.96 million residents, 2,100 more than in July.
In total, Massachusetts had 3.77 million residents employed in August and 189,400 unemployed.
While the state’s unemployment stability is good news, the stability is complex and delicate, Mark Rembert, chief economist of the EOLWD’s Department of Economic Research, said in the release.
“The unemployment rate is stable but remains elevated for some workers, particularly young workers. Employment is stable, but job growth has slowed, nationally and in Massachusetts. Job postings remain stable, but the hiring outlook is uncertain. This combination continues to create a challenging environment for job seekers,” he said.
Of the 10 industries examined by the BLS, the professional, scientific, business services sector saw the most jobs gained over the month, with 1,000 jobs added in August. While this figure is optimistic, the sector experienced by far the largest over-the-year decrease in positions, losing 6,000 since August 2024.
The trade, transportation, and utilities industry gained the second-highest gain, with 900 positions added in August, followed by the government and other services sectors, which both saw 700 jobs added last month.
The six other industries analyzed by the BLS lost jobs in August, with construction losing the most, down by 2,600 over the month.
The private education and health services sector followed closely, losing 2,500 positions in August, yet experiencing an overall addition of 6,400 since August 2024, the most of all sectors examined.
“While this latest report offers a sign of somewhat stability amid economic uncertainty, the Healey-Driscoll administration remains focused on the people within our workforce: impacted workers seeking unemployment benefits, unemployed and underemployed individuals ready to access the job market and training opportunities, and employers eager to find skilled workers or to collaborate with training providers to attract, retain, and develop talent in Massachusetts,” Lauren Jones, EOLWD Secretary, said in the release.
Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare and diversity, equity, and inclusion industries.
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