N/A
What does this measure?
The net growth or decline in jobs by sector, shown as a percentage gain or loss from 2001 to 2020.
Why is this important?
Job growth by sector is a key indicator of economic vitality, and reveals how the structure of industry and the composition of employment in the region are changing.
How is our region doing?
Among large sectors, MetroWest has seen the greatest growth in the Financial Activities (42%), Healthcare and Social Assistance (40%) and Professional and Business Services (30%) sectors. The biggest decline among major sectors was in Manufacturing, where jobs fell 38%. Some smaller sectors had large gains or declines: Agriculture, with 0.2% of total jobs, grew 23% since 2001, and Education, with 6% of all jobs, grew 27%. Trends in MetroWest were very similar to statewide and national trends.
The largest sectors in MetroWest in 2020 were Professional and Business Services, with 21% of jobs, followed by Trade, Transportation and Utilities (15%), Health Care and Social Assistance (13%), Financial Activities (10%), and Government (9%) and Leisure and Hospitality, at 7%. These shares were largely similar to the state and national distribution of jobs.
Notes about the data
County employment estimates are reported by place of work, not place of residence.
| Agriculture | Construction | Educational Services | Financial Activities | Government | Health Care and Social Assistance | Information | Leisure and Hospitality | Manufacturing | Natural Resources and Mining | Other Services | Professional and Business Services | Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | -15% | 11% | 53% | 46% | 4% | 47% | -20% | 13% | -24% | 16% | 16% | 33% | 10% | 15% |
| Massachusetts | -4% | 14% | 35% | 35% | -1% | 43% | -16% | 1% | -39% | -5% | 10% | 26% | 3% | 11% |
| Region | 23% | 12% | 27% | 42% | 5% | 40% | -14% | 7% | -38% | -15% | 9% | 30% | -0% | 11% |
| Middlesex County | 29% | 9% | 21% | 58% | 6% | 40% | -11% | 7% | -40% | -31% | 8% | 36% | -4% | 12% |
| Norfolk County | 72% | 11% | 42% | 26% | 5% | 34% | -16% | 11% | -41% | -5% | 14% | 21% | -1% | 10% |
| Worcester County | 7% | 19% | 41% | 35% | 5% | 46% | -33% | 2% | -34% | 9% | 7% | 12% | 10% | 10% |
Notes: N/A - Data not disclosed or not reported.
| Agriculture | Construction | Educational Services | Financial Activities | Government | Health Care and Social Assistance | Information | Leisure and Hospitality | Manufacturing | Natural Resources and Mining | Other Services | Professional and Business Services | Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2,591,000 | 10,850,300 | 4,605,700 | 19,446,600 | 24,129,000 | 22,455,500 | 3,244,600 | 15,751,400 | 12,807,500 | 1,866,600 | 10,510,900 | 28,727,200 | 33,790,500 | 190,776,800 |
| Massachusetts | 10,237 | 248,512 | 248,324 | 477,509 | 451,443 | 673,415 | 102,430 | 335,852 | 242,939 | 12,441 | 217,278 | 805,331 | 696,380 | 4,522,091 |
| Region | 4,342 | 116,922 | 128,181 | 205,289 | 184,424 | 267,974 | 60,099 | 141,935 | 127,375 | 2,690 | 95,059 | 445,949 | 316,598 | 2,096,837 |
| Middlesex County | 1,909 | 60,395 | 89,061 | 102,662 | 93,550 | 133,164 | 44,293 | 77,011 | 72,155 | 1,151 | 50,420 | 309,969 | 158,859 | 1,194,599 |
| Norfolk County | 638 | 28,735 | 19,147 | 65,388 | 36,069 | 59,151 | 11,215 | 34,371 | 19,814 | 517 | 22,855 | 78,222 | 77,687 | 453,809 |
| Worcester County | 1,795 | 27,792 | 19,973 | 37,239 | 54,805 | 75,659 | 4,591 | 30,553 | 35,406 | 1,022 | 21,784 | 57,758 | 80,052 | 448,429 |
Notes: N/A - Data not disclosed or not reported.
| INDICATORS | REGIONAL TREND |
|---|---|
| Change in Total Jobs by Sector | Not Applicable |
| Unemployment Rate | Increasing |
| Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity | Not Applicable |
| Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity | Not Applicable |
| Share of Workers who are Professionals, by Race/Ethnicity | Not Applicable |
| Average Salary by Sector | Not Applicable |
| High-Tech Jobs | Maintaining |
| Female to Male Earnings Ratio | Maintaining |
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