Massachusetts 3.9% Unemployment not Helpful By E.J. Smith - September 16, 2016 Yesterday, The Boston Globe headlined the 3.9% unemployment rate for Massachusetts. The participation rate, which is the percentage of the entire population of an area that is either working or wants to work, tells the real story. Share this:EmailTwitterFacebook RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR Bleeding Cash: How Tariffs Could Push Chinese Firms to the Brink January Jobs Report: Healthcare, Retail Lead Growth as Unemployment Falls Underinsured and Overexposed: LA’s Wildfires and the Jumbo Loan Dilemma