The unemployment rate in the City of Fall River in April fell seven-tenths of one percent to 7.1%, down from 7.8% in March.
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reports that the labor force in Fall River in April totaled 47,207 employees. 3,329 people were recorded as unemployed. The 7.1% unemployment rate for April compared to 5.2% in April of 2024.
Here are the unemployment rates of communities surrounding Fall River:
Somerset, 5.0% (5.6% in March)
Swansea, 4.4% (5.5% in March)
Westport, 5.3% (6.4% in March)
Freetown, 4.6% (5.4% in March)
Here are the rates in select Gateway Cities across Eastern Massachusetts last month:
New Bedford, 6.7% (7.5% in March)
Taunton, 5.2% (5.6% in March)
Brockton, 5.7% (5.6% in March)
Lowell, 5.2% (5.3% in March)
Lawrence, 6.9% (7.1% in March)
The state unemployment rate for April rose two-tenths of a percent to 4.6%. Here is more information from the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development:
From the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development
BOSTON, MA May 20, 2025 — Local unemployment rates decreased in all twelve labor market areas in the state during the month of April 2025 compared to March 2025, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported.
Compared to April 2024, rates were up in all twelve labor market areas.
Of the seven MSA areas for which employment estimates are published, all seven areas gained jobs compared to the previous month. The largest percentage increases occurred in the Barnstable Town, MA(+3.8%), Springfield, MA(+1.2%), and Cambridge-Newton-Framingham, MA Metropolitan Division(+1.1%) areas.
From April 2024 to April 2025, four areas gained jobs, with the largest percentage increases seen in the Barnstable Town, MA(+4.9%), Springfield, MA (+0.5%), and Cambridge-Newton-Framingham, MA Metropolitan Division (+0.3%) areas.
The statewide seasonally adjusted preliminary jobs estimate showed an increase of 7,700 jobs in April, and an over-the-year gain of 5,700 jobs.
In order to compare the statewide rate to local unemployment rates, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the statewide unadjusted unemployment rate for April 2025 was 4.6%, 0.4 percentage points lower than the revised March 2025 estimate and 0.7 percentage points above the nation’s unadjusted unemployment rate of 3.9%.
Last week, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported the statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the month of April 2025 was 4.6%, up 0.2 percentage points compared to the revised March 2025 estimate. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the nation’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April 2025 held constant at 4.2%.
The unadjusted unemployment rates and job estimates for the labor market areas reflect seasonal fluctuations and therefore may show different levels and trends than the statewide seasonally adjusted estimates.
The estimates for labor force, unemployment rates, and jobs for Massachusetts are based on different statistical methodologies specified by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
