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Top 10 Best Places in Massachusetts to Find Employment in 2026

If you’re on the hunt for a job in Massachusetts, you’ve landed in the right spot! As the job landscape continues to evolve, knowing where to focus your search can significantly impact your career trajectory.

While Boston is often regarded as a prime job market, our analysis reveals that it may not be the top contender in the state. At Zippia, we leverage data-driven insights to determine the best locations for job seekers. After a thorough evaluation of over 49 cities in Massachusetts, we’ve compiled a list of the best places to secure employment in the Bay State.

Here are the top 10 cities for job opportunities in Massachusetts:

Springfield, take note. This ranking can provide valuable insights for cities across Massachusetts.

How We Determined the Best Places for Jobs in the Bay State

Our research involved a comprehensive analysis of employment data across all cities in Massachusetts. To ensure a fair comparison, we set a minimum population threshold of 5,000 residents.

This allowed us to evaluate 49 cities across the state.

We ranked each city based on several criteria, assigning ranks from one to 49, with one indicating the best performance.

The final score for each location was calculated by averaging the ranks across all criteria, with the city achieving the lowest overall score being designated as the “Best Place for Jobs in Massachusetts.”

The criteria we assessed included:

Unemployment rate
Recent job growth
Projected job growth
Median household income

Data sources for these criteria include the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Sperling’s Best Places.

If your city isn’t listed among the top 10, scroll down to the end of this post for a detailed chart and a downloadable file containing all the data.

Now, let’s explore how these cities climbed the career ladder.

1. Cambridge

Population: 105,026 Unemployment Rate: 3.40%
Recent Job Growth: 1.33%
Future Job Growth: 39.30%

2. Somerville

Population: 75,974 Unemployment Rate: 3.60%
Recent Job Growth: 1.33%
Future Job Growth: 39.10%

3. Concord

Population: 18,081 Unemployment Rate: 3.80%
Recent Job Growth: 1.33%
Future Job Growth: 38.90%

4. Newton

Population: 85,177 Unemployment Rate: 3.80%
Recent Job Growth: 1.33%
Future Job Growth: 38.90%

5. Marlborough

Population: 38,491 Unemployment Rate: 4.60%
Recent Job Growth: 1.51%
Future Job Growth: 38.40%

6. Newburyport

Population: 17,460 Unemployment Rate: 4.00%
Recent Job Growth: 1.33%
Future Job Growth: 38.70%

7. Melrose

Population: 27,043 Unemployment Rate: 4.30%
Recent Job Growth: 1.33%
Future Job Growth: 38.40%

8. Canton

Population: 21,596 Unemployment Rate: 4.80%
Recent Job Growth: 1.34%
Future Job Growth: 37.90%

9. Waltham

Population: 60,836 Unemployment Rate: 4.40%
Recent Job Growth: 1.33%
Future Job Growth: 38.30%

10. Malden

Source: Wikipedia

Population: 59,388 Unemployment Rate: 4.60%
Recent Job Growth: 1.33%
Future Job Growth: 38.10%

Detailed List of the Best Places in Massachusetts for Jobs

City	Rank	Population	Unemployment Rate	Recent Job Growth	Future Job Growth
Cambridge	1	105,026	3.40%	1.33%	39.30%
Somerville	2	75,974	3.60%	1.33%	39.10%
Concord	3	18,081	3.80%	1.33%	38.90%
Newton	4	85,177	3.80%	1.33%	38.90%
Marlborough	5	38,491	4.60%	1.51%	38.40%
Newburyport	6	17,460	4.00%	1.33%	38.70%
Melrose	7	27,043	4.30%	1.33%	38.40%
Canton	8	21,596	4.80%	1.34%	37.90%
Waltham	9	60,836	4.40%	1.33%	38.30%
Malden	10	59,388	4.60%	1.33%	38.10%
Haverhill	11	60,953	5.70%	1.64%	37.60%
Medford	12	56,255	4.90%	1.33%	37.80%
Northampton	13	28,642	3.80%	0.85%	37.90%
Norton	14	19,123	5.40%	1.38%	37.40%
Woburn	15	38,231	5.00%	1.33%	37.70%
Easton	16	23,220	4.70%	1.19%	37.70%
Mansfield	17	23,191	5.10%	1.33%	37.60%
Beverly	18	39,748	5.10%	1.33%	37.60%
Quincy	19	92,078	5.10%	1.33%	37.60%
Boston	20	619,662	5.20%	1.33%	37.50%
Amherst	21	38,399	4.00%	0.69%	37.40%
Rockland	22	17,518	6.10%	1.34%	36.60%
Taunton	23	55,951	6.40%	1.38%	36.40%
Pembroke	24	17,831	5.50%	1.33%	37.20%
Stoughton	25	27,249	5.70%	1.33%	37.00%
Lowell	26	106,739	6.70%	1.36%	36.00%
Everett	27	41,621	5.70%	1.33%	37.00%
Peabody	28	51,215	5.30%	1.16%	37.00%
Shrewsbury	29	35,583	4.60%	0.75%	36.90%
Salem	30	41,641	5.30%	1.16%	37.00%
Revere	31	51,729	6.10%	1.33%	36.60%
Holden	32	17,361	5.00%	0.76%	36.50%
Grafton	33	17,692	5.10%	0.75%	36.40%
Lynn	34	90,392	6.60%	1.16%	35.70%
Chelsea	35	35,527	7.10%	1.33%	35.60%
Westfield	36	41,162	6.00%	0.85%	35.70%
Gloucester	37	28,937	7.20%	1.33%	35.50%
Brockton	38	93,916	7.30%	1.19%	35.10%
Attleboro	39	43,603	6.80%	0.95%	35.10%
Chicopee	40	55,326	6.90%	0.85%	34.80%
Gardner	41	20,250	7.20%	0.79%	34.40%
Worcester	42	181,473	6.80%	0.75%	34.70%
Leominster	43	40,879	7.60%	0.79%	34.00%
Ludlow	44	21,146	8.00%	0.85%	33.70%
Holyoke	45	39,996	8.50%	0.85%	33.20%
Pittsfield	46	44,542	6.50%	-0.83%	31.80%
Lawrence	47	76,331	11.90%	0.94%	30.00%
Fitchburg	48	40,314	8.70%	0.79%	32.90%
Springfield	49	153,278	8.90%	0.85%	32.80%

In conclusion, whether you’re seeking employment in tech, healthcare, or education, these cities represent the best opportunities in Massachusetts as of 2026. Stay informed, explore your options, and leverage this data to maximize your job search.

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.