Unemployment Rate Comparison
Income

Massachusetts vs New York: Unemployment Rate

New York has a lower unemployment rate than Massachusetts.

Massachusetts flag
Massachusetts
MA • Northeast
4.8%
Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (BLS, December 2025).
New York flag
New York
NY • Northeast
Winner
4.6%
Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (BLS, December 2025).

Visual Comparison

Massachusetts 4.8%
New York 4.6%

Difference: 0.20 percentage points — New York leads.

National Rankings

Where They Rank Nationally

See where both states fall among all 50 states for unemployment rate.

Massachusetts #44 · 4.8%
New York #40 · 4.6%
Best Worst

10 Best States — Unemployment Rate

Lower is better
#1 Hawaii flag Hawaii
2.2%
#2 South Dakota flag South Dakota
2.2%
#3 North Dakota flag North Dakota
2.6%
#4 Vermont flag Vermont
2.6%
#5 Alabama flag Alabama
2.7%
#6 Nebraska flag Nebraska
3.0%
#7 New Hampshire flag New Hampshire
3.1%
#8 Wisconsin flag Wisconsin
3.1%
#9 Maine flag Maine
3.2%
#10 Mississippi flag Mississippi
3.4%
Selected states
#44 Massachusetts flag Massachusetts
4.8%
#40 New York flag New York
4.6%

Massachusetts ranks 44th and New York ranks 40th nationally for unemployment rate.

Related Context

Jobs Picture

Unemployment is one signal — the employment ratio and job growth round out the full picture.

What This Means

Massachusetts vs New York: Unemployment Rate in context

New York has a unemployment rate of 4.6%, compared with 4.8% in Massachusetts. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (BLS, December 2025).

Massachusetts
4.8%
New York
4.6%
Difference
0.20 percentage points

People Also Ask

Massachusetts vs New York Unemployment Rate — Common Questions

Q What is Massachusetts's unemployment rate?

Massachusetts's unemployment rate is 4.8%.

Q What is New York's unemployment rate?

New York's unemployment rate is 4.6%.

Q Which state has a lower unemployment rate — Massachusetts or New York?

New York has a lower unemployment rate than Massachusetts.

Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.