From September 2024 to December 2024, gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments in Massachusetts were 175,796, while gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments were 169,582, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Mark J. Maggi noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment loss of 6,214 jobs in the private sector during the fourth quarter of 2024. (See table 1.) During the previous quarter, gross job losses exceeded gross job gains by 28,093. (See chart 1.)

The change in the number of jobs over time is the net result of increases and decreases in employment that occur at all private businesses in the economy. Business Employment Dynamics (BED) statistics track these changes in employment at private-sector establishments from the third month of one quarter to the third month of the next. The difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses is the net change in employment. (See the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.)

Gross job losses

In the fourth quarter of 2024, gross job losses represented 5.6 percent of private-sector employment in Massachusetts; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.7 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 2.) Gross job losses are the result of contractions in employment at existing establishments and the loss of jobs at closing establishments. In Massachusetts, contracting establishments lost 142,380 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2024, a decrease of 4,200 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 33,416 jobs, a decrease of 4,592 jobs from the previous quarter.

Gross job gains

In the fourth quarter of 2024, gross job gains represented 5.3 percent of private-sector employment in Massachusetts; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.8 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 3.) Gross job gains are the sum of increases in employment due to expansions at existing establishments and the addition of new jobs at opening establishments. In Massachusetts, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 134,116 in the fourth quarter of 2024, an increase of 7,804 jobs compared to the previous quarter. Opening establishments accounted for 35,466 jobs gained in the fourth quarter of 2024, an increase of 5,283 jobs from the previous quarter.

Industries

Gross job losses exceeded gross job gains in 6 of the 11 published industry sectors in Massachusetts in the fourth quarter of 2024. Retail trade had the largest over-the-quarter net job decrease, with a loss of 6,891 jobs. This was the result of 20,977 gross job losses and 14,086 gross job gains. The professional and business services industry had a net loss of 5,636 jobs. Leisure and hospitality showed a net gain of 3,773 jobs, the largest gain of any sector in the state. Massachusetts’s transportation and warehousing industry sector had a net gain of 2,416 jobs.

For more information

The BED data series include gross job gains and gross job losses by industry subsector, for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, as well as gross job gains and gross job losses at the firm level by employer size class. BED data for the states have been included in table 2 of this release. Additional information is available online at the Business Employment Dynamics homepage and the Business Employment Dynamics Summary.

The Business Employment Dynamics for First Quarter 2025 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Technical Note

The Business Employment Dynamics (BED) data are a product of a federal-state cooperative program known as Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). The BED data are compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) from existing QCEW records.

More information on formal definitions of the data used in this release, along with coverage, concepts, and methodology, can be found in the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Table 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses by industry, Massachusetts, seasonally adjusted

Category	Gross job gains and losses (3 months ended)					Gross job gains and losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Dec. 2024	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Dec. 2024
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	172,906	168,574	180,080	156,495	169,582	5.5	5.2	5.7	4.9	5.3
At expanding establishments	136,039	138,694	148,901	126,312	134,116	4.3	4.3	4.7	4.0	4.2
At opening establishments	36,867	29,880	31,179	30,183	35,466	1.2	0.9	1.0	0.9	1.1
Gross job losses	176,465	162,277	179,585	184,588	175,796	5.5	5.1	5.6	5.8	5.6
At contracting establishments	145,051	130,359	138,680	146,580	142,380	4.5	4.1	4.3	4.6	4.5
At closing establishments	31,414	31,918	40,905	38,008	33,416	1.0	1.0	1.3	1.2	1.1
Net employment change (2)	-3,559	6,297	495	-28,093	-6,214	0.0	0.1	0.1	-0.9	-0.3
Construction
Gross job gains	13,535	13,763	12,543	10,910	14,438	8.0	7.8	7.3	6.6	8.7
At expanding establishments	10,346	11,063	10,164	8,592	11,102	6.1	6.3	5.9	5.2	6.7
At opening establishments	3,189	2,700	2,379	2,318	3,336	1.9	1.5	1.4	1.4	2.0
Gross job losses	14,410	11,840	15,938	14,771	13,355	8.4	6.7	9.2	8.9	8.0
At contracting establishments	11,651	9,529	12,085	11,304	10,320	6.8	5.4	7.0	6.8	6.2
At closing establishments	2,759	2,311	3,853	3,467	3,035	1.6	1.3	2.2	2.1	1.8
Net employment change (2)	-875	1,923	-3,395	-3,861	1,083	-0.4	1.1	-1.9	-2.3	0.7
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	6,136	5,390	6,735	6,292	6,146	2.6	2.3	2.9	2.7	2.7
At expanding establishments	5,262	4,960	5,787	5,190	5,269	2.2	2.1	2.5	2.2	2.3
At opening establishments	874	430	948	1,102	877	0.4	0.2	0.4	0.5	0.4
Gross job losses	7,725	7,568	7,765	7,618	7,346	3.3	3.2	3.3	3.3	3.2
At contracting establishments	6,893	6,798	6,782	6,699	6,385	2.9	2.9	2.9	2.9	2.8
At closing establishments	832	770	983	919	961	0.4	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.4
Net employment change (2)	-1,589	-2,178	-1,030	-1,326	-1,200	-0.7	-0.9	-0.4	-0.6	-0.5
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	4,562	4,871	5,293	4,594	4,651	3.7	4.0	4.3	3.8	3.9
At expanding establishments	3,584	3,923	4,263	3,507	3,659	2.9	3.2	3.5	2.9	3.1
At opening establishments	978	948	1,030	1,087	992	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.9	0.8
Gross job losses	5,585	5,043	6,513	5,201	5,900	4.5	4.1	5.4	4.3	5.0
At contracting establishments	4,177	3,908	4,497	3,885	4,752	3.4	3.2	3.7	3.2	4.0
At closing establishments	1,408	1,135	2,016	1,316	1,148	1.1	0.9	1.7	1.1	1.0
Net employment change (2)	-1,023	-172	-1,220	-607	-1,249	-0.8	-0.1	-1.1	-0.5	-1.1
Retail trade
Gross job gains	16,856	18,256	18,548	14,811	14,086	5.2	5.6	5.6	4.4	4.3
At expanding establishments	14,354	16,434	16,229	13,014	12,472	4.4	5.0	4.9	3.9	3.8
At opening establishments	2,502	1,822	2,319	1,797	1,614	0.8	0.6	0.7	0.5	0.5
Gross job losses	18,086	15,688	19,344	17,784	20,977	5.5	4.8	5.9	5.3	6.4
At contracting establishments	15,379	13,670	16,779	15,644	18,589	4.7	4.2	5.1	4.7	5.7
At closing establishments	2,707	2,018	2,565	2,140	2,388	0.8	0.6	0.8	0.6	0.7
Net employment change (2)	-1,230	2,568	-796	-2,973	-6,891	-0.3	0.8	-0.3	-0.9	-2.1
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	7,496	4,360	5,918	4,777	7,455	7.8	4.6	6.2	5.0	7.6
At expanding establishments	6,036	3,530	5,192	4,009	6,295	6.3	3.7	5.4	4.2	6.4
At opening establishments	1,460	830	726	768	1,160	1.5	0.9	0.8	0.8	1.2
Gross job losses	5,134	6,023	5,240	4,596	5,039	5.4	6.2	5.5	4.8	5.1
At contracting establishments	4,115	5,213	3,692	3,712	4,215	4.3	5.4	3.9	3.9	4.3
At closing establishments	1,019	810	1,548	884	824	1.1	0.8	1.6	0.9	0.8
Net employment change (2)	2,362	-1,663	678	181	2,416	2.4	-1.6	0.7	0.2	2.5
Information
Gross job gains	3,296	3,788	3,834	4,334	3,482	3.5	4.1	4.1	4.7	3.8
At expanding establishments	2,430	2,970	3,027	3,570	2,622	2.6	3.2	3.2	3.9	2.9
At opening establishments	866	818	807	764	860	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.9
Gross job losses	5,326	4,240	5,074	5,346	4,914	5.7	4.5	5.4	5.8	5.4
At contracting establishments	4,507	3,449	3,655	4,017	3,971	4.8	3.7	3.9	4.4	4.4
At closing establishments	819	791	1,419	1,329	943	0.9	0.8	1.5	1.4	1.0
Net employment change (2)	-2,030	-452	-1,240	-1,012	-1,432	-2.2	-0.4	-1.3	-1.1	-1.6
Financial activities
Gross job gains	7,797	6,430	8,101	7,201	7,455	3.6	3.0	3.8	3.3	3.5
At expanding establishments	5,855	5,202	6,666	5,879	5,786	2.7	2.4	3.1	2.7	2.7
At opening establishments	1,942	1,228	1,435	1,322	1,669	0.9	0.6	0.7	0.6	0.8
Gross job losses	8,215	8,073	8,198	9,615	7,611	3.8	3.6	3.7	4.4	3.6
At contracting establishments	6,707	6,660	5,744	7,435	5,779	3.1	3.0	2.6	3.4	2.7
At closing establishments	1,508	1,413	2,454	2,180	1,832	0.7	0.6	1.1	1.0	0.9
Net employment change (2)	-418	-1,643	-97	-2,414	-156	-0.2	-0.6	0.1	-1.1	-0.1
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	32,787	33,377	36,118	30,955	32,646	5.2	5.3	5.7	4.9	5.2
At expanding establishments	25,219	26,502	29,634	24,124	24,869	4.0	4.2	4.7	3.8	4.0
At opening establishments	7,568	6,875	6,484	6,831	7,777	1.2	1.1	1.0	1.1	1.2
Gross job losses	38,302	34,578	35,317	38,147	38,282	6.1	5.6	5.6	6.1	6.1
At contracting establishments	30,766	27,983	26,590	29,588	30,116	4.9	4.5	4.2	4.7	4.8
At closing establishments	7,536	6,595	8,727	8,559	8,166	1.2	1.1	1.4	1.4	1.3
Net employment change (2)	-5,515	-1,201	801	-7,192	-5,636	-0.9	-0.3	0.1	-1.2	-0.9
Education and health services
Gross job gains	28,704	34,537	34,168	34,824	31,124	3.6	4.3	4.2	4.4	3.9
At expanding establishments	24,008	30,476	28,991	29,527	25,540	3.0	3.8	3.6	3.7	3.2
At opening establishments	4,696	4,061	5,177	5,297	5,584	0.6	0.5	0.6	0.7	0.7
Gross job losses	32,324	25,007	30,180	29,662	29,139	4.0	3.1	3.7	3.7	3.6
At contracting establishments	26,562	18,668	24,194	23,133	22,981	3.3	2.3	3.0	2.9	2.8
At closing establishments	5,762	6,339	5,986	6,529	6,158	0.7	0.8	0.7	0.8	0.8
Net employment change (2)	-3,620	9,530	3,988	5,162	1,985	-0.4	1.2	0.5	0.7	0.3
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	41,317	34,043	37,690	29,125	38,023	11.4	9.3	10.3	8.0	10.5
At expanding establishments	31,094	25,965	30,012	22,491	28,911	8.6	7.1	8.2	6.2	8.0
At opening establishments	10,223	8,078	7,678	6,634	9,112	2.8	2.2	2.1	1.8	2.5
Gross job losses	32,574	35,086	35,790	40,533	34,250	9.1	9.5	9.8	11.1	9.4
At contracting establishments	27,566	27,648	27,361	32,396	28,377	7.7	7.5	7.5	8.9	7.8
At closing establishments	5,008	7,438	8,429	8,137	5,873	1.4	2.0	2.3	2.2	1.6
Net employment change (2)	8,743	-1,043	1,900	-11,408	3,773	2.3	-0.2	0.5	-3.1	1.1
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	8,277	7,905	9,125	6,577	8,069	7.5	7.1	8.2	6.0	7.3
At expanding establishments	6,168	6,326	7,356	5,038	6,063	5.6	5.7	6.6	4.6	5.5
At opening establishments	2,109	1,579	1,769	1,539	2,006	1.9	1.4	1.6	1.4	1.8
Gross job losses	6,889	7,649	7,712	9,334	7,044	6.3	6.9	6.9	8.5	6.4
At contracting establishments	5,299	5,625	5,443	7,272	5,385	4.8	5.1	4.9	6.6	4.9
At closing establishments	1,590	2,024	2,269	2,062	1,659	1.5	1.8	2.0	1.9	1.5
Net employment change (2)	1,388	256	1,413	-2,757	1,025	1.2	0.2	1.3	-2.5	0.9
Footnotes: (1) Includes unclassified sector not shown separately. (2) The net employment change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses. See the Technical Note for further information. (3) Except public administration.

Table 2. Private-sector gross job gains and losses as a percent of total employment by state, seasonally adjusted

Category	Gross job gains as a percent of employment (3 months ended)					Gross job losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Dec. 2024	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Dec. 2024
United States(1)	6.0	5.7	5.8	5.8	5.8	5.7	5.4	5.9	5.8	5.7
Alabama	6.2	5.7	5.6	5.7	5.7	5.7	5.5	5.6	5.9	5.3
Alaska	10.2	10.5	10.2	7.9	10.3	9.9	8.6	9.6	9.7	9.6
Arizona	6.5	8.4	5.6	6.3	6.1	6.6	6.4	6.8	6.5	6.0
Arkansas	6.2	5.6	5.2	5.2	5.8	5.0	5.2	5.8	5.2	4.8
California	6.4	5.8	6.1	6.4	6.6	6.4	5.6	6.8	6.1	6.4
Colorado	8.2	6.4	6.5	6.3	6.1	7.6	7.7	6.2	6.7	6.7
Connecticut	5.6	5.6	5.8	5.5	5.5	5.7	5.2	5.6	5.7	5.6
Delaware	6.1	6.0	5.9	6.8	6.1	5.8	5.1	6.5	6.4	6.4
District of Columbia	5.2	5.1	5.1	4.9	5.0	5.6	4.9	6.0	5.0	5.5
Florida	6.1	5.8	6.0	6.6	6.0	5.9	5.4	5.9	5.7	6.2
Georgia	6.2	6.0	5.7	5.7	6.0	5.7	5.7	5.7	6.1	5.4
Hawaii	6.1	5.4	5.1	5.6	5.3	5.0	5.1	5.4	5.0	4.9
Idaho	8.5	7.9	7.5	7.2	8.2	5.8	8.3	7.4	7.6	6.8
Illinois	5.0	5.1	5.2	5.0	5.1	5.1	4.8	5.3	5.1	5.2
Indiana	5.5	5.3	5.2	5.3	5.4	5.1	5.0	5.5	5.4	5.2
Iowa	6.1	6.1	5.5	5.2	5.5	5.7	5.6	5.7	6.0	5.6
Kansas	5.8	5.7	5.8	5.3	5.9	5.3	5.6	5.7	5.6	5.2
Kentucky	5.7	5.7	5.2	5.4	5.3	5.2	5.0	5.9	5.5	5.5
Louisiana	6.3	6.2	5.7	6.1	6.2	5.8	5.7	6.3	5.8	5.4
Maine	7.4	7.2	7.3	6.2	6.7	7.0	6.1	7.0	7.0	7.0
Maryland	6.2	5.8	7.2	6.1	6.0	5.8	5.7	6.5	6.1	5.9
Massachusetts	5.5	5.2	5.7	4.9	5.3	5.5	5.1	5.6	5.8	5.6
Michigan	5.5	5.4	5.7	5.4	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.6	5.8	6.0
Minnesota	6.9	5.8	5.7	5.1	5.5	6.9	5.7	5.4	5.9	5.1
Mississippi	6.1	5.7	5.8	6.1	6.3	5.7	6.1	6.3	5.7	6.4
Missouri	6.0	5.7	5.6	5.5	5.7	5.6	5.3	5.8	5.8	5.3
Montana	8.8	8.1	7.9	7.3	8.4	7.2	7.5	7.6	8.1	7.8
Nebraska	5.9	5.8	5.4	5.6	5.6	5.7	5.1	5.6	5.6	5.5
Nevada	6.7	5.9	5.8	6.1	6.2	5.4	6.2	5.7	5.9	5.8
New Hampshire	6.2	6.5	6.1	5.5	6.3	5.9	5.8	6.0	6.7	5.9
New Jersey	5.9	5.5	5.9	5.3	6.0	5.8	5.4	5.4	5.8	5.3
New Mexico	6.9	6.0	6.0	6.2	5.8	5.8	6.0	6.3	6.3	5.9
New York	5.7	5.9	5.9	5.6	5.6	5.6	5.0	5.5	5.7	5.5
North Carolina	6.3	5.4	5.6	5.6	6.1	4.9	5.5	5.7	6.1	5.5
North Dakota	6.7	6.9	6.6	6.5	6.5	6.3	6.1	6.6	6.6	6.7
Ohio	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.1	5.4	5.2	4.8	5.4	5.4	5.1
Oklahoma	6.1	5.6	5.6	6.0	5.9	5.8	5.2	6.4	5.6	5.4
Oregon	6.2	6.4	6.0	6.3	6.2	6.2	6.1	6.4	6.6	6.8
Pennsylvania	5.2	5.1	4.9	5.1	5.2	4.8	4.6	5.1	5.1	4.8
Rhode Island	6.8	6.9	6.6	6.2	7.2	6.3	5.7	6.7	6.5	6.3
South Carolina	6.2	6.4	5.9	6.2	6.5	5.3	6.3	6.4	5.9	6.0
South Dakota	6.6	6.3	6.0	5.9	6.7	5.8	5.8	6.3	5.9	5.9
Tennessee	6.2	5.5	5.5	5.6	5.6	5.5	4.9	5.7	5.8	5.0
Texas	5.7	5.4	5.4	5.6	5.8	5.2	5.1	5.3	5.3	5.1
Utah	6.6	6.7	6.4	6.6	6.6	6.5	6.0	6.6	6.1	6.2
Vermont	7.3	7.2	6.6	6.6	6.7	6.6	6.3	7.5	7.3	6.8
Virginia	5.9	5.7	5.7	5.8	5.8	5.5	5.2	5.6	5.5	5.5
Washington	6.0	5.7	5.7	5.7	5.7	5.4	5.3	5.3	5.4	5.3
West Virginia	6.5	6.9	6.6	5.8	6.4	5.8	5.7	6.8	6.6	6.1
Wisconsin	5.5	5.5	5.3	5.0	5.3	5.2	4.8	5.5	5.4	5.0
Wyoming	8.9	8.4	8.2	8.6	8.8	8.4	8.3	9.0	9.0	8.4
Puerto Rico	4.9	5.4	5.6	5.4	4.4	4.8	4.6	4.9	5.1	5.5
Virgin Islands	6.0	5.6	4.3	4.4	4.0	5.9	4.5	5.1	6.1	12.6
Footnotes (1) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. The sum of the states will not necessarily add to the U.S. total because of the independent seasonal adjustment of each state.