Regional Economy
North Shore Labor Force & Unemployment
Labor force and unemployment data for the North Shore is shown below. As of May 2010, the unemployment rate on the North Shore was 8.9% which is lower than the Massachusetts rate of 9.2%. Since May 2009, the number of unemployed workers on the North Shore has increased 11%
Additional labor force data for the North Shore can be found on the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) Economic Data web site.
| North Shore Workforce Investment Area (WIA) | ||||||
| Month | Year | Labor Force | Employed | Unemployed | North Shore Unemployment Rate (Not Seasonally Adjusted) | Massachusetts Unemployment Rate (Seasonally Adjusted) |
May |
2010 | 216.785 | 197,545 | 19,240 | 8.9% | 9.2% |
April |
2010 | 217,309 | 197,645 | 19,664 | 9.0% | 9.2% |
March |
2010 | 218,102 | 198,205 | 19,897 | 9.1% | 9.3% |
February |
2010 | 217,779 | 196,498 | 21,281 | 9.8% | 9.5% |
January |
2010 | 217,633 | 195,704 | 21,929 | 10.1% | 9.5% |
December |
2009 | 217,126 | 197,834 | 19,292 | 8.9% | 9.3% |
November |
2009 | 218,233 | 199,616 | 18,617 | 8.5% | 9.2% |
October |
2009 | 216,505 | 198,036 | 18,469 | 8.5% | 9.1% |
September |
2009 | 216,418 | 196,973 | 19,445 | 9.0% | 9.0% |
August |
2009 | 220,013 | 201,348 | 18,665 | 8.5% | 8.8% |
July |
2009 | 220,413 | 201,358 | 19,055 | 8.6% | 8.7% |
June |
2009 | 220,208 | 201,220 | 18,988 | 8.6% | 8.5% |
May |
2009 | 216,560 | 199,238 | 17,322 | 8.0% | 8.2% |
Unemployment Insurance Claimants
The number of initial & total unemployment insurance claimants for the Fiscal Years 08, 09, & 10 are shown below. In April 2010, there were 1,824 initial UI Claimants which is a decrease of 4.4% from March 2010. The total number of UI claimants has decreased from 7,940 in March 2010 to 7,205 in April 2010, this is an decrease of 9.25%.
Click Here for: Detailed Occupational and Industrial Information for Unemployment Claimants for FY 2010
Click Here for: Detailed Occupational and Industrial Information for Unemployment Claimants for FY 2009
Additional Unemployment Insurance for the North Shore can be found on the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) Economic Data web site.
The North Shore had an 3rd Quarter 2009 average monthly employment on 161,563 which is 5.2% of the Massachusetts employment of 3,123,292 during the same time period. The five largest industries on the North Shore are Health Care and Social Assistance, Retail Trade, Manufacturing, Accommodation and Food Services, and Education. Together these industries employ 99,717 workers and account for 61.7% of the total North Shore Employment.
Click here to view our: Labor Market Blueprint
Additional Industrial data for the North Shore can be found on the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) Economic Data web site.
| 3rd Q 2009 Monthly Industrial Averages | ||||
| Number of Establishments | Average Employment |
Average Weekly Wage | ||
| Total, All Industries | 11,898 | 161,563 | $859 | |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting | 104 | 480 | $619 | |
| Mining | 4 | 47 | $1,008 | |
| Construction | 1,181 | 6,347 | $1,093 | |
| Manufacturing | 485 | 16,613 | $1,435 | |
|
324 | 12,309 | $1,484 | |
|
161 | 4,304 | $1,295 | |
| Utilities | 22 | 809 | $1,472 | |
| Wholesale Trade | 671 | 5,955 | $1,441 | |
| Retail Trade | 1,620 | 25,178 | $519 | |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 222 | 3,061 | $845 | |
| Information | 211 | 3,234 | $1,021 | |
| Finance and Insurance | 526 | 5,811 | $1,267 | |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 358 | 1,961 | $983 | |
| Professional and Technical Services | 1,349 | 7,762 | $1,401 | |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 68 | 1,653 | $1,835 | |
| Administrative and Waste Services | 653 | 6,700 | $610 | |
| Educational Services | 182 | 11,842 | $782 | |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 1,020 | 29,888 | $863 | |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 231 | 4,335 | $454 | |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 995 | 16,196 | $338 | |
| Other Services, Ex. Public Admin | 1,829 | 7,957 | $441 | |
| Public Administration | 167 | 5,736 | $987 | |
The selection of critical industries was based on the following factors:
• Number of jobs
• Skill and education requirements
• Wage levels of critical occupations
• Career ladder opportunities
• Projections of future employment opportunities
Based on these criteria, four industries stood out as critical drivers of labor market
demand, providers of employment paying sustainable wages, and offering career ladder
opportunities on the North Shore.
• Construction
• Financial Services
• Health Care
• Durable Goods Manufacturing
Among these four industries, there are high levels of current employment and a history
of relatively high levels of employment in the region. There is a consistent demand for
replacement jobs in each of these four industries.
Health Care and Social Assistance
Health Care is the largest employer on the North Shore. Health Care and Social Assistance employment has grown 25.8% from 23,746 in 2001 to 29,888 in the 3rd Quarter 2009. Job growth in the Health Care industry has primarily been driven by two factors: increased demand for technical skills and the aging of the population. Counteracting these factors has been a trend toward financial control, driven by consolidation and payer policies.In the North Shore, Health Care employment is concentrated in three sectors: Ambulatory Services (primarily offices of physicians and dentists),Hospitals, and Nursing and Residential Care Facilities.
| 3rd Q 2009 Monthly Industrial Averages | |||
| Number of Establishment | Employment | Average Weekly Wage | |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 1,020 | 29,888 |
$863 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | 709 |
11,027 |
$1,049 |
| Hospitals | 12 |
8,471 |
$958 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | 126 |
7,358 |
$619 |
| Social Assistance | 173 |
3,032 |
$510 |
Financial Services is a significant employer in the North Shore, employing 7,772 people
in the 3rd Quarter 2009. This is an increase of 0.1% from 2001, when the industry employed 7,764 workers in the region. The Financial Services industry is divided between Finance and Insurance, employing 5,811 people, and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing, which employed 1,961 workers in the 3rd Quarter 2009.
| 3rd Q 2009 Monthly Industrial Averages | |||
| Number of Establishment | Employment | Average Weekly Wage | |
Financial Activities |
884 |
7,772 |
$1,195 |
| Finance and Insurance | 526 |
5,811 |
$1,267 |
| Credit Intermediation & Related Activity | 222 |
3,300 |
$1,222 |
| Financial Investment & Related Activity | 112 |
519 |
$1,820 |
| Insurance Carriers & Related Activities | 187 |
1,976 |
$1,201 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 358 |
1,961 |
$983 |
| Real Estate | 295 |
1,239 |
$812 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | 60 |
441 |
$563 |
Manufacturing is probably the most controversial selection as a critical industry. However, the region still
employs over 16,000 workers, with about 12,000 in the Durable Goods Manufacturing portion of the industry; this meets the size criterion for critical industry employment.
| 3rd Q 2009 Monthly Industrial Averages | |||
| Number of Establishment | Employment | Average Weekly Wage | |
| Manufacturing | 485 | 16,613 | $1,435 |
Durable Goods Manufacturing |
324 | 12,309 | $1,484 |
Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing |
161 | 4,304 | $1,295 |
| Food Manufacturing | 40 | 2,183 | $816 |
| Beverage & Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 4 | 44 | $609 |
| Textile Mills | 3 | 21 | $1,417 |
| Textile Product Mills | 13 | 73 | $883 |
| Apparel Manufacturing | 4 | 11 | $843 |
| Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | 9 | 127 | $610 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing | 7 | 43 | $908 |
| Paper Manufacturing | 3 | 106 | $663 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities | 39 | 251 | $868 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | 28 | 1,198 | $2,483 |
| Plastics & Rubber Products Manufacturing | 14 | 236 | $1,108 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Mfg | 12 | 69 | $656 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 135 | 1,735 | $1,041 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | 37 | 2,581 | $1,739 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Mfg | 48 | 2,459 | $1,433 |
| Electrical Equipment and Appliances | 13 | 895 | $1,390 |
| Furniture and Related Product Mfg | 22 | 163 | $867 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 35 | 684 | $1,110 |
Construction has long been a steady employer of North Shore residents. Between 2001
and the 3rd Quarter 2009, construction employment in the North Shore Workforce Investment Area has
increased by 0.7%, from 6,301 to 6,347 workers.
| 3rd Q 2009 Monthly Industrial Averages | |||
| Number of Establishment | Employment | Average Weekly Wage | |
| Construction | 1,181 | 6,347 | $1,093 |
| Construction of Buildings | 308 | 1,401 | $1,246 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 59 | 928 | $935 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 814 | 4,018 | $1,076 |
Top 25 Occupations on the North Shore, May 2009
The top 25 occupations on the North Shore are shown below along with the median, entry, and experienced level wages.
Additional occupational data for the North Shore can be found on the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) Economic Data web site.
| Rank | Occupation Title | Employment | Annual Wage | ||
| Median | Entry | Experienced | |||
1 |
Retail Salespersons | 7,110 | $22,001 | $18,130 | $31,982 |
2 |
Cashiers | 6,340 | $19,005 | $17,647 | $22,237 |
3 |
Waiters and Waitresses | 4,550 | $25,243 | $18,382 | $34,283 |
4 |
Registered Nurses | 3,950 | $71,164 | $54,822 | $82,789 |
5 |
Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food | 3,440 | $18,919 | $18,093 | $20,606 |
6 |
Customer Service Representatives | 3,190 | $32,720 | $24,081 | $39,555 |
7 |
Office Clerks, General | 3,140 | $32,965 | $23,027 | $37,549 |
8 |
Stock Clerks and Order Fillers | 2,820 | $22,145 | $18,460 | $29,114 |
9 |
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 2,560 | $38,820 | $26,879 | $45,349 |
10 |
General and Operations Managers | 2,420 | $91,856 | $59,039 | $131,508 |
11 |
Teacher Assistants | 2,090 | $27,322 | $19,062 | $31,958 |
12 |
Home Health Aides | 2,080 | $24,879 | $22,072 | $26,607 |
13 |
Managers of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 1,920 | $52,914 | $39,477 | $62,629 |
14 |
Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants | 1,880 | $28,555 | $24,903 | $31,080 |
15 |
Executive Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1,830 | $43,898 | $32,445 | $52,459 |
16 |
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,810 | $59,557 | $41,887 | $66,483 |
17 |
Personal and Home Care Aides | 1,630 | $27,976 | $23,954 | $30,635 |
18 |
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Vocational Education | 1,590 | $59,805 | $43,685 | $67,909 |
19 |
First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Retail Sales Workers | 1,580 | $37,198 | $25,657 | $52,654 |
20 |
Cooks, Restaurant | 1,570 | $24,995 | $19,839 | $28,862 |
21 |
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,550 | $26,713 | $21,042 | $33,623 |
22 |
Packers and Packagers, Hand | 1,500 | $22,606 | $18,413 | $31,214 |
23 |
Food Preparation Workers | 1,490 | $21,031 | $18,389 | $25,339 |
24 |
Bartenders | 1,490 | $21,927 | $17,196 | $28,970 |
25 |
Secretaries, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,470 | $35,818 | $26,130 | $42,104 |
Occupational Vacancies in The Northeast of Massachusetts, 4th Quarter 2009
The top 20 occupational vacancies in the Northeast of Massachusetts are presented below. This information is based on the Massachusetts Job Vacancy Survey from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.
| Occupation Title | North Shore | Northeast of Massachusetts | ||
| Employment 2009 | Median Wage | Number of Vacancies | Job Vacancy % | |
| Retail Salespersons | 7,110 | $22,001 | 7,268 | 6.60% |
| Registered Nurses | 3,950 | $71,164 | 2,769 | 3.50% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 4,550 | $25,243 | 2,005 | 3.40% |
| Cashiers | 6,340 | $19,005 | 1,893 | 2.50% |
| Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants | 1,880 | $28,555 | 1,705 | 4.00% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 3,190 | $32,720 | 1,092 | 2.00% |
| Managers of Retail Sales Workers | 1,580 | $37,198 | 1,074 | 4.00% |
| Stock Clerks and Order Fillers | 2,820 | $22,145 | 729 | 1.80% |
| Home Health Aides | 2,080 | $24,879 | 724 | 4.20% |
| Food Preparation Workers | 1,490 | $21,031 | 703 | 3.00% |
| Tellers | 720 | $27,556 | 687 | 4.70% |
| Counter Attendants, Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop | 640 | $20,636 | 674 | 3.70% |
| Computer Software Engineers, Applications | 320 | $90,338 | 655 | 2.80% |
| Executive Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1,830 | $43,898 | 643 | 1.50% |
| Tax Preparers | *** | $59,099 | 625 | n/a |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 360 | $88,980 | 553 | 6.60% |
| Medical Secretaries | 1,100 | $35,778 | 514 | 2.70% |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | 1,340 | $27,897 | 505 | 2.20% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 1,060 | $58,225 | 502 | 1.60% |
| Financial Managers | 710 | $85,284 | 484 | 2.50% |