Economy And Workforce
Unemployment Rate


Unemployment Rate

What does this measure?

Unemployed individuals are those without jobs who are able, available and actively seeking work. The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed people as a percentage of the total labor force (the total number of employed and unemployed individuals 16 or older and not living in prisons, mental hospitals, or nursing homes).

Why is this important?

Unemployment rates are a relatively timely indicator of current local economic conditions, particularly recent changes in the employment landscape that reflect the overall health of the economy.

How is our county doing?

The unemployment rate in Essex County was 4.1% in 2024, representing about 18,400 people seeking employment. This is an increase from the previous year (2023) when the rate was 3.5%, but lower than in 2010 when it was 8.5%. The state and nation have also had an increase since 2023, and both had rates of 4.0% in 2024.

How do we compare to similar counties?

The unemployment rate in Essex County was higher than Middlesex, MA (3.6%) and Westchester, NY (3.3%) but lower than Lake County, IL (5%). Also on par with state and national trends, all comparison areas have higher unemployment rates than the previous year, 2023.

Notes about the data

The unemployment rate represents only those who are actively seeking employment and does not account for under-employment or discouraged workers who have stopped looking for jobs. Also, county-level estimates are based on relatively small samples, and the true number of unemployed residents may vary considerably from the estimate. The rates reported here are averages of monthly rates.

Unemployment Rate
201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
Essex County, MA8.5%7.6%7.1%7.0%6.0%5.0%4.1%3.9%3.5%3.1%10.0%5.7%3.7%3.5%4.1%
Amesbury7.6%6.5%6.0%5.9%5.0%4.3%3.6%3.3%3.2%2.7%8.7%4.8%3.3%3.0%3.4%
Beverly7.3%6.3%5.8%5.7%5.2%4.3%3.6%3.3%3.1%2.6%8.2%4.3%3.2%3.1%3.6%
Gloucester10.3%9.0%8.2%8.5%7.1%6.1%5.1%4.8%4.5%4.0%10.3%6.2%4.5%4.1%4.7%
Haverhill8.9%8.1%7.6%7.1%6.1%5.1%4.2%4.0%3.6%3.3%10.3%6.2%3.9%3.8%4.3%
Lawrence14.5%14.5%13.3%13.2%11.0%9.1%6.1%5.7%5.2%4.5%15.1%9.8%5.5%5.1%5.9%
Lynn8.7%8.0%7.6%7.3%6.4%5.3%4.2%3.8%3.6%3.1%12.1%6.5%4.1%3.7%4.3%
Methuen9.5%8.4%8.2%8.2%6.7%5.6%4.4%4.2%3.7%3.3%10.4%6.5%4.1%3.8%4.3%
Newburyport7.2%6.1%5.7%5.5%4.7%4.0%3.6%3.4%2.9%2.7%7.5%4.1%2.9%3.0%3.5%
Peabody7.6%6.5%6.2%6.2%5.3%4.5%4.0%3.7%3.3%2.8%10.3%5.3%3.7%3.3%3.8%
Salem8.2%7.4%6.7%6.7%5.9%4.9%3.9%3.7%3.4%2.9%9.9%5.2%3.4%3.4%4.0%
Middlesex County, MA6.8%5.9%5.4%5.4%4.7%3.9%3.3%3.1%2.8%2.4%7.6%4.3%3.0%3.0%3.6%
Lake County, IL10.0%8.9%8.2%7.9%6.4%5.4%5.2%4.5%4.6%4.0%7.9%5.4%4.4%5.1%5.0%
Westchester County, NY7.5%7.1%7.4%6.4%5.2%4.6%4.3%4.4%3.8%3.5%7.9%4.7%3.0%3.0%3.3%
Massachusetts8.1%7.2%6.7%6.7%5.7%4.8%4.0%3.8%3.5%3.0%9.3%5.3%3.6%3.5%4.0%
United States9.6%8.9%8.1%7.4%6.2%5.3%4.9%4.4%3.9%3.7%8.1%5.3%3.6%3.6%4.0%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics




Total Unemployed
201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
Essex County, MA33,19730,05028,32628,05724,44120,55517,02316,38115,22713,52243,45924,63716,12415,54818,437
Amesbury715615576568491435341319322273850467320300348
Beverly1,5871,3931,2871,2831,1809828157757426321,9111,006754744878
Gloucester1,5541,3661,2521,3011,0919427717427146391,622986711662768
Haverhill2,9222,6882,5222,3552,0851,7631,4851,4421,3271,2323,8222,2951,4391,3901,634
Lawrence5,0445,1444,7224,6843,9283,3202,5952,4992,3132,0146,9684,3972,4262,2322,680
Lynn3,9653,6443,5233,3793,0182,4732,1091,9551,8851,6646,4573,3792,1241,9632,335
Methuen2,4052,1442,1212,1501,7811,5031,2061,1801,0539583,0001,8821,1911,0991,291
Newburyport672569542524460393324312279255697390282291354
Peabody2,1341,8181,7691,7701,5341,2831,1201,0499588272,9751,5121,0409421,124
Salem1,8961,7251,5781,5881,4021,1649909718987662,5891,3799039211,091
Middlesex County, MA55,65648,78145,59545,86140,22534,13128,73028,26625,81722,45768,45538,44227,07527,39933,798
Lake County, IL36,96132,92929,94428,74123,50219,69619,40316,84217,37915,34528,87719,58416,00618,82418,658
Westchester County, NY36,10833,94035,40130,90324,50622,03421,16221,96419,05218,09839,30423,68015,73616,30317,526
Massachusetts281,478252,328235,533235,315206,429173,920146,222142,691132,096117,122346,882197,036137,277133,327157,366
United States14,825,00013,747,00012,506,00011,460,0009,617,0008,296,0007,751,0006,982,0006,314,0006,001,00012,947,0008,623,0005,996,0006,080,0006,761,000

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
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INDICATORS TREND | ESSEX COUNTY
People 65 or Older Living Alone Decreasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Prevalence of Overweight Adults Not Applicable
Preterm Births Maintaining
Infant Mortality Rate Maintaining
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels Decreasing
Children Living in Poverty Decreasing
Children Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Disengaged Youth Increasing
Live Births to Teen Mothers Decreasing
Youth Arrests Decreasing
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Maintaining
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Employment Maintaining
Tourism Spending Increasing
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Charitable Contributions Maintaining
Protected Land Not Applicable
Days with Good Air Quality Increasing
Beach Contamination Increasing
Daily Water Use per Resident Maintaining
Crimes Against People Maintaining
Crimes Against Property Decreasing
Drug-Related Arrests Maintaining
Reports of Domestic Violence Maintaining
Incarceration Rates Decreasing
Recidivism Decreasing
Households Without Vehicles Decreasing
Means of Transportation to Work Not Applicable
Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Maintaining
Households With Internet Access Increasing
Change in Total Population Increasing
Change in Population by Age/Sex Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Households by Type Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Sex Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Maintaining
Change in Jobs by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Average Salary Increasing
Change in Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Median Earnings by Occupation by Gender Not Applicable
People Entering/Leaving County for Work Not Applicable
Employer Size Not Applicable
Self-Employment Revenue Increasing
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate Decreasing
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Prekindergarten Participation Not Applicable
Female Enrollment in School Not Applicable
Chronically Absent Students Increasing
Per-Student Spending Increasing
Bullying Maintaining
Student Performance on Grade 3 Reading Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 English Language Arts Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults Not Applicable
Bachelor's Degree or Higher by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Income in Relation to Poverty Level Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income Increasing
Median Household Income by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Living Wage Rate by Household Type Not Applicable
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving Temporary Assistance Increasing
Households Receiving Federal Food Assistance Increasing
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Earned Income Tax Credit Participation Decreasing
Economically Disadvantaged Students Increasing
Median Home Value Increasing
Cost of Homeownership Increasing
Cost of Renting Increasing
Homeownership Rates Maintaining
Homeownership Rates by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeless Persons Not Applicable
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Medical Care Expenses Increasing
Prevalence of Children with Asthma Decreasing
Prevalence of Overweight Children Decreasing
Diabetes Incidence Decreasing
Chronic Disease Among Older Adults Increasing
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Cancer Mortality Rate Decreasing
Heart Disease Mortality Rate Decreasing
Mortality Rate Maintaining
People who Smoke Not Applicable
Adult Drug Use Not Applicable
Youth Drug Use Not Applicable
Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions Not Applicable
Drug Overdose Mortality Rate Decreasing
Prevalence of Mental Illness Maintaining
Suicide Rate Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 Reading Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 English Language Arts Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Bachelor's Degree or Higher by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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