slides: Central Massachusetts’ Most Unemployed Cities and Towns
Email to a friend
Permalink
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Zeke Wright, GoLocalWorcester Contibutor
The unemployment rate in Central Massachusetts ranges dramatically with some towns a 40% higher and some more than 2 full percentage points lower than the state's average.
The Worcester job market was the state's only area to show month-over-month job creation in the most recently available unemployment numbers. According to a recent analysis by the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute, economic growth in the state outpaced the national trend in the third quarter of 2013.
Sharyn T. Williams with the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce attributed growth in central Massachusetts to a diverse economy. “We have industry, we have healthcare, we have education.”
For Unemployment Statistics From Each Central Mass City and Town, See The Slides Below
Researchers at that institute gave a preliminary growth rate in real gross domestic product of 3.5 percent — above the national rate of 2.8 percent. Alan Clayton-Matthews, an associate professor of Economics and Public Policy at Northeastern University, pointed out in a release that the estimate was based on incomplete data because of missing employment numbers for the month of September.
Published in the MassBenchmarks journal, the report's authors estimated “modest” continued job growth in the month of September by using Massachusetts' historical average relationship with national employment figures, which improved slightly.
Signs of improvement in job growth
Using the latest available information, the local region added 3,900 jobs between August and one year prior.
A report this year by the Worcester Regional Research Bureau found education and health services, manufacturing, and “other services” (including nonprofit work and repair, personal, and household services) made up a larger proportion of local jobs compared to the national average.
Education and health services was the largest job creator across the state in August.
Jobless rate still above state average
Despite job gains in the area, many remain out of work with the jobless rate in Massachusetts' second largest population center standing at a seasonally unadjusted 8.9 percent — well above the state unemployment average of 6.8 percent.
In the greater Worcester metropolitan area, where unemployment sat at 7.6 percent as a whole, the Massachusetts Office of Labor and Workforce Development tallied 800 jobs added in the month of August.
With more recent unemployment figures delayed by last month's federal government shutdown, updated numbers will be released this week from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Williams said the chamber was cautiously optimistic ahead of the release of those figures. “We are seeing incremental progress for some businesses — they're certainly being cautious, but they are moving forward.”
Jim Donoghue, president of the North Worcester Business Association, pointed to recent activity in his part of the city but described the overall economy as “flat”.
“We've been through a lot” recently, he said, citing external factors at the federal level including sequestration and the shutdown.
“If the government can just stay normal, things will improve,” Donoghue said.
A hub for education
Worcester officials tout the city as an economic engine for Central Massachusetts. Home to 10 colleges and universities, 2012 saw expansions at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and Worcester State University.
This year, Quinsigamond Community College announced an expansion downtown with a new health care and workforce development training center expected to open in early 2014.
But residential and business property owners in Worcester are seeing their water and sewer rates rise after a city council vote earlier this year.
Williams, the chamber staff member, said some businesses had expressed “definite reservations” about hiring and spending on long-term investments.
“It's fragile,” she said.
Minimum wage increases are hurting, not helping
Christopher Pinto of the Worcester Republican City Committee said unemployment rates would be hampered by efforts to raise the state's minimum hourly wage. The current measure, which would raise the minimum wage from $8 to $11 by 2016 and tie future increases to inflation, passed Tuesday in the state Senate and has the support of Gov. Deval Patrick.
Pinto called the move “misguided.”
“Here is the thing about unemployment: Raising the minimum wage creates unemployment,” he said.
“Raising the minimum wage will cause the cost of goods to rise and this hurts everyone's buying power, most especially the poor and the working poor who the legislation is intended to help,” Pinto continued.
Pinto also levied charges against the Affordable Care Act and Massachusetts Health Reform Act, which he said placed additional costs on business and made it more expensive for them to hire.
An increasing labor force
Massachusetts added 7,500 jobs in August, but the adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged because of an increase in the total labor force. New jobs came in education and health services, leisure and hospitality, manufacturing, construction, information, and financial activities — in that order.
Unemployment figures for the months of September and October — in addition to revised numbers for August — will be released Friday according to Lauren Jones of the Office of Labor and Workforce Development.
Updated unemployment rates by local area will be available next week. Jones said some of the data been delayed by last month's government shutdown.
The unemployment rate in Massachusetts hit a recessionary high of 8.7 percent (adjusted to account for seasonal fluctuations) in late 2009. But that rate was down to 6.4 percent in March and April of this year.
Related Slideshow: Central MA Unemployment Rates #72 - #1
Here are the unemployment statistics for each town in Central Mass, ranked from least to most-
Prev
Next
#72
Harvard
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 4.4%
Unemployed: 140
Employed: 3,059
Total workforce: 3,199
Prev
Next
#71
Hopkinton
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 4.7%
Unemployed: 369
Employed: 7,523
Total workforce: 7,892
Prev
Next
#69 (Tie)
Berlin
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 4.9%
Unemployed: 79
Employed: 1,520
Total workforce: 1,599
Prev
Next
#69 (Tie)
Hopedale
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 4.9%
Unemployed: 159
Employed: 3,074
Total workforce: 3,233
Prev
Next
#67 (Tie)
Bolton
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 5.1%
Unemployed: 147
Employed: 2,733
Total workforce: 2,880
Prev
Next
#67 (Tie)
Southborough
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 5.1%
Unemployed: 257
Employed: 4,813
Total workforce: 5,070
Prev
Next
#66
Marlborough
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 5.5%
Unemployed: 1,283
Employed: 21,909
Total workforce: 23,192
Prev
Next
#65
Northborough
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 5.6%
Unemployed: 432
Employed: 7,259
Total workforce: 7,691
Prev
Next
#62 (Tie)
Mendon
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 5.7%
Unemployed: 196
Employed: 3,218
Total workforce: 3,414
Prev
Next
#62 (Tie)
Princeton
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 5.7%
Unemployed: 107
Employed: 1,764
Total workforce: 1,871
Prev
Next
#62 (Tie)
Topsfield
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 5.7%
Unemployed: 176
Employed: 2,910
Total workforce: 3,086
Prev
Next
#61
Boylston
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 5.8%
Unemployed: 134
Employed: 2,167
Total workforce: 2,301
Prev
Next
#58 (Tie)
Shrewsbury
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 5.9%
Unemployed: 1,084
Employed: 17,152
Total workforce: 18,236
Prev
Next
#58 (Tie)
Sterling
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 5.9%
Unemployed: 256
Employed: 4,112
Total workforce: 4,368
Prev
Next
#58 (Tie)
Westborough
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 5.9%
Unemployed: 525
Employed: 8,415
Total workforce: 8,940
Prev
Next
#56 (Tie)
Sturbridge
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 6.0%
Unemployed: 306
Employed: 4,763
Total workforce: 5,069
Prev
Next
#56 (Tie)
Upton
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 6.0%
Unemployed: 241
Employed: 3,752
Total workforce: 3,993
Prev
Next
#53 (Tie)
Douglas
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 6.1%
Unemployed: 290
Employed: 4,469
Total workforce: 4,759
Prev
Next
#53 (Tie)
Hudson
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 6.1%
Unemployed: 696
Employed: 10,740
Total workforce: 11,436
Prev
Next
#53 (Tie)
Milford
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 6.1%
Unemployed: 954
Employed: 14,670
Total workforce: 15,624
Prev
Next
#51 (Tie)
Oakham
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 6.3%
Unemployed: 65
Employed: 973
Total workforce: 1,038
Prev
Next
#51 (Tie)
Sutton
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 6.3%
Unemployed: 302
Employed: 4,500
Total workforce: 4,802
Prev
Next
#48 (Tie)
Holden
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 6.4%
Unemployed: 576
Employed: 8,430
Total workforce: 9,006
Prev
Next
#48 (Tie)
Paxton
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 6.4%
Unemployed: 158
Employed: 2,327
Total workforce: 2,485
Prev
Next
#48 (Tie)
Shirley
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 6.4%
Unemployed: 223
Employed: 3,269
Total workforce: 3,492
Prev
Next
#46 (Tie)
Ayer
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 6.5%
Unemployed: 283
Employed: 4,100
Total workforce: 4,383
Prev
Next
#46 (Tie)
Hardwick
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 6.5%
Unemployed: 94
Employed: 1,359
Total workforce: 1,453
Prev
Next
#45
Grafton
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 6.6%
Unemployed: 635
Employed: 9,043
Total workforce: 9,678
Prev
Next
#42 (Tie)
Hubbardston
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 6.7%
Unemployed: 163
Employed: 2,255
Total workforce: 2,418
Prev
Next
#42 (Tie)
Millbury
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 6.7%
Unemployed: 489
Employed: 6,787
Total workforce: 7,276
Prev
Next
#42 (Tie)
Petersham
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 6.7%
Unemployed: 43
Employed: 596
Total workforce: 639
Prev
Next
#40 (Tie)
Lancaster
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 6.8%
Unemployed: 240
Employed: 3,281
Total workforce: 3,521
Prev
Next
#40 (Tie)
Townsend
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 6.8%
Unemployed: 346
Employed: 4,738
Total workforce: 5,084
Prev
Next
#38 (Tie)
Charlton
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 7.0%
Unemployed: 491
Employed: 6,483
Total workforce: 6,974
Prev
Next
#38 (Tie)
Dudley
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 7.0%
Unemployed: 431
Employed: 5,696
Total workforce: 6,127
Prev
Next
#33 (Tie)
Auburn
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 7.1%
Unemployed: 613
Employed: 8,024
Total workforce: 8,637
Prev
Next
#33 (Tie)
East Brookfield
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 7.1%
Unemployed: 86
Employed: 1,129
Total workforce: 1,215
Prev
Next
#33 (Tie)
Holland
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 7.1%
Unemployed: 99
Employed: 1,291
Total workforce: 1,390
Prev
Next
#33 (Tie)
New Braintree
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 7.1%
Unemployed: 40
Employed: 524
Total workforce: 564
Prev
Next
#33 (Tie)
Rutland
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 7.1%
Unemployed: 313
Employed: 4,081
Total workforce: 4,394
Prev
Next
#32
Oxford
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 7.2%
Unemployed: 548
Employed: 7,032
Total workforce: 7,580
Prev
Next
#31
Uxbridge
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 7.3%
Unemployed: 536
Employed: 6,784
Total workforce: 7,320
Prev
Next
#30
Leicester
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 7.5%
Unemployed: 450
Employed: 5,565
Total workforce: 6,015
Prev
Next
#27 (Tie)
Ashburnham
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 7.6%
Unemployed: 236
Employed: 2,865
Total workforce: 3,101
Prev
Next
#27 (Tie)
Lunenburg
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 7.6%
Unemployed: 398
Employed: 4,850
Total workforce: 5,248
Prev
Next
#27 (Tie)
Northbridge
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 7.6%
Unemployed: 608
Employed: 7,383
Total workforce: 7,991
Prev
Next
#26
Spencer
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 7.7%
Unemployed: 492
Employed: 5,935
Total workforce: 6,427
Prev
Next
#24 (Tie)
Ware
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 7.9%
Unemployed: 394
Employed: 4,611
Total workforce: 5,005
Prev
Next
#24 (Tie)
West Boylston
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 7.9%
Unemployed: 259
Employed: 3,035
Total workforce: 3,294
Prev
Next
#21 (Tie)
Brimfield
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 8.0%
Unemployed: 152
Employed: 1,745
Total workforce: 1,897
Prev
Next
#21 (Tie)
Templeton
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 8.0%
Unemployed: 305
Employed: 3,520
Total workforce: 3,825
Prev
Next
#21 (Tie)
Westminster
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 8.0%
Unemployed: 297
Employed: 3,417
Total workforce: 3,714
Prev
Next
#19 (Tie)
North Brookfield
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 8.1%
Unemployed: 195
Employed: 2,224
Total workforce: 2,419
Prev
Next
#19 (Tie)
Palmer
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 8.1%
Unemployed: 508
Employed: 5,772
Total workforce: 6,280
Prev
Next
#18
Warren
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 8.4%
Unemployed: 209
Employed: 2,271
Total workforce: 2,480
Prev
Next
#17
West Brookfield
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 8.6%
Unemployed: 155
Employed: 1,652
Total workforce: 1,807
Prev
Next
#15 (Tie)
Royalston
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 8.7%
Unemployed: 52
Employed: 547
Total workforce: 599
Prev
Next
#15 (Tie)
Webster
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 8.7%
Unemployed: 723
Employed: 7,569
Total workforce: 8,292
Prev
Next
#13 (Tie)
Brookfield
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 8.8%
Unemployed: 163
Employed: 1,695
Total workforce: 1,858
Prev
Next
#13 (Tie)
Millville
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 8.8%
Unemployed: 158
Employed: 1,642
Total workforce: 1,800
Prev
Next
#11 (Tie)
Barre
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 8.9%
Unemployed: 244
Employed: 2,510
Total workforce: 2,754
Prev
Next
#11 (Tie)
Worcester
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 8.9%
Unemployed: 7,562
Employed: 77,653
Total workforce: 85,215
Prev
Next
#9 (Tie)
Ashby
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 9.0%
Unemployed: 149
Employed: 1,503
Total workforce: 1,652
Prev
Next
#9 (Tie)
Orange
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 9.0%
Unemployed: 332
Employed: 3,356
Total workforce: 3,688
Prev
Next
#7 (Tie)
Blackstone
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 9.2%
Unemployed: 488
Employed: 4,824
Total workforce: 5,312
Prev
Next
#7 (Tie)
Clinton
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 9.2%
Unemployed: 676
Employed: 6,652
Total workforce: 7,328
Prev
Next
#6
Winchendon
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 9.3%
Unemployed: 453
Employed: 4,407
Total workforce: 4,860
Prev
Next
#5
Leominster
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 9.6%
Unemployed: 1,937
Employed: 18,141
Total workforce: 20,078
Prev
Next
#3 (Tie)
Southbridge
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 9.9%
Unemployed: 787
Employed: 7,127
Total workforce: 7,914
Prev
Next
#3 (Tie)
Gardner
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 9.9%
Unemployed: 934
Employed: 8,514
Total workforce: 9,448
Prev
Next
#2
Fitchburg
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 10.0%
Unemployed: 1,829
Employed: 16,435
Total workforce: 7,914
Prev
Next
#1
Athol
Unemployment rate, August 2013: 10.5%
Unemployed: 543
Employed: 4,647
Total workforce: 5,190
Related Articles
Enjoy this post? Share it with others.
Email to a friend
Permalink
Follow us on Pinterest Google + Facebook Twitter See It Read It