Find a Job You Really Want In
In every workplace, a lack of motivation can drag down team morale. The individuals who consistently offload their responsibilities onto others while still managing to take credit can be particularly frustrating.
For residents of certain towns in Massachusetts, you might find yourself reflecting on local attitudes towards work and productivity.
This article is not meant to be harsh; rather, it highlights the towns where a culture of complacency may influence the workplace, and where collaboration with less motivated colleagues can be challenging.
Using the most recent data from the American Community Survey, we analyzed various factors to pinpoint the towns in Massachusetts with lower productivity levels. After compiling and assessing the information, we present the ten “Least Productive Places in Massachusetts,” based on our findings:
- Fall River
- Springfield
- North Adams
- Holyoke
- New Bedford
- Pittsfield
- Chicopee
- Gardner
- Lawrence
- Southbridge Town
Continue reading to discover where the least motivated workers reside, or skip ahead to see how your town ranks.
And congratulations to Franklin Town for being recognized as the most industrious town in Massachusetts!
How We Identified the Least Productive Places in Massachusetts
At Zippia, we pride ourselves on using data to tackle tough questions. Our analysis of productivity in Massachusetts started with the latest data from the American Community Survey.
We focused on the most recent datasets, which allowed us to perform a comprehensive analysis of productivity levels across various towns.
After reviewing a broad range of criteria, we selected the following factors to determine productivity levels:
- Average hours worked per week
- Average commute time
- Number of workers per household (labor force divided by the number of households)
- Unemployment rate
- Percentage of adults with a college degree
Our rationale was straightforward: towns with lower educational attainment, minimal work hours, and higher unemployment rates typically indicate a lack of productivity.
Once we gathered data from 53 towns in Massachusetts with populations over 5,000, we ranked each town from 1 to 53 based on the criteria, with 1 representing the “least productive.”
We then averaged these rankings to create a productivity index, ultimately identifying the town with the lowest score as the “Least Productive Place in Massachusetts.” Fall River earned this title.
Refer to the detailed chart below for insights into each town’s ranking.
1. Fall River
Population: 88,756 College Educated: 13.8%
Unemployment Rate: 15.0%
2. Springfield
Population: 153,836 College Educated: 17.9%
Unemployment Rate: 15.4%
3. North Adams
Population: 13,563 College Educated: 21.1%
Unemployment Rate: 11.7%
4. Holyoke
Population: 40,079 College Educated: 23.2%
Unemployment Rate: 14.4%
5. New Bedford
Population: 94,873 College Educated: 15.3%
Unemployment Rate: 12.2%
6. Pittsfield
Population: 44,226 College Educated: 26.0%
Unemployment Rate: 10.8%
7. Chicopee
Population: 55,603 College Educated: 17.8%
Unemployment Rate: 10.1%
8. Gardner
Population: 20,279 College Educated: 17.4%
Unemployment Rate: 11.3%
9. Lawrence
Population: 77,364 College Educated: 11.9%
Unemployment Rate: 13.5%
10. Southbridge Town
Population: 16,775 College Educated: 17.4%
Unemployment Rate: 10.4%
Assessing Productivity in Massachusetts
Determining the least productive towns in Massachusetts can often be subjective. However, through our analysis of educational attainment, work hours, and employment rates, we have created an accurate picture of productivity across the state.
Detailed List of the Least Productive Places in Massachusetts
| City | Rank |
|---|---|
| Fall River | 1 |
| Springfield | 2 |
| North Adams | 3 |
| Holyoke | 4 |
| New Bedford | 5 |
| Pittsfield | 6 |
| Chicopee | 7 |
| Gardner | 8 |
| Lawrence | 9 |
| Southbridge Town | 10 |
Author
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.
