Overall unemployment rate moved up to 6.8% with the biggest shift in Restaurants & Hotels, which lost 9,700 roles, based on the most recently available information published in March 2021.

Total employment in the Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH market rose by 30,735 jobs in January and the unemployment rate increased compared to the prior month by 30 bps to 6.8%. The national unemployment rate increased by 31 bps over the same time to 6.8%.

  • Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH unemployment rate is 1 bps below the national rate which is a positive sign.
  • Unemployment in the market is 380 bps above the unemployment rate in the market last year at this time, which is a negative.
  • Average wages (per hour) grew in January versus prior month by 7.5% and are up compared to last year at this time in the market.
Month over Month Unemployment Change
Year over Year Unemployment Change
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH Unemployment January 2021

For key employment segments of the market, total jobs declined by -1.6%. Key sectors include:

  • Education & Healthcare: 543,000; -5,000
  • Business Services: 495,400; -7,100
  • Transportation & Utilities: 399,000; -9,600
  • Government: 293,700; -6,100
  • Financial Services: 181,100; +1,200
  • Manufacturing: 175,300; -1,800
  • Restaurants & Hotels: 165,600; -9,700
  • Construction, Mining: 113,800; -6,200
  • Other Jobs: 84,300; +100
  • IT & Development: 79,200; +2,400
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH Unemployment by Industry January 2021

Data is based on the most recent 12 months available, through January 2021 (Data published March 2021 and reports created on March 25, 2021).  Source: Government data agency and locally acquired statistics.

Note: All reported data is not seasonally adjusted.