What does this measure?
The growth or decline in total jobs, shown as a percentage gain or loss from the previous year.
Why is this important?
Job growth is a key indicator of economic health and vitality and reveals whether and by how much an economy is expanding. In addition to the number of jobs, the quality of jobs should be considered. This is reflected in measures of average salary.
How is Norfolk County doing?
Norfolk County had job growth of 4.1% from 2020 to 2021, above the state and nation rates of 3.5% and 3.0% respectively. Since 2001, the county's job growth increased 16% to a total of 480,700 jobs, a growth rate similar to the state and slightly lower than the nation (22%).
Norfolk County's latest annual rate of growth was higher than Middlesex County (2.8%) and similar to Essex County (4%). Since 2001, Norfolk County's job growth was similar to Essex and Middlesex, both at 17%.
Notes about the data
Data is from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. County employment is reported by place of work, not place of residence. 2022 data for this indicator are expected to be released in the fourth quarter of 2023.
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk County | N/A | -0.9% | 0.0% | 1.7% | 1.2% | 0.7% | 2.6% | -0.0% | -2.6% | 0.2% | 1.6% | 1.7% | 3.3% | 2.4% | 4.0% | 1.7% | 0.9% | 1.1% | -0.8% | -6.9% | 4.1% |
| Essex County | N/A | -1.1% | -0.7% | 1.1% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1.7% | 0.4% | -1.7% | 0.5% | 1.8% | 2.1% | 2.4% | 1.7% | 4.5% | 1.0% | 1.2% | 1.0% | 0.1% | -5.7% | 4.0% |
| Middlesex County | N/A | -2.9% | -1.6% | 0.5% | 1.7% | 1.5% | 2.8% | 1.0% | -2.2% | 0.3% | 1.1% | 1.7% | 2.2% | 2.4% | 4.6% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 2.5% | 0.3% | -5.0% | 2.8% |
| Massachusetts | N/A | -1.3% | -0.7% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 1.0% | 2.3% | 0.3% | -2.4% | -0.0% | 1.5% | 1.9% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 4.1% | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.6% | 0.4% | -5.6% | 3.5% |
Notes: Rate is percentage change from previous year
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk County | 412,194 | 408,494 | 408,631 | 415,682 | 420,550 | 423,411 | 434,554 | 434,354 | 423,209 | 424,154 | 431,034 | 438,200 | 452,650 | 463,419 | 481,790 | 489,751 | 494,297 | 499,741 | 495,865 | 461,885 | 480,703 |
| Essex County | 393,504 | 389,319 | 386,740 | 391,074 | 394,554 | 398,143 | 405,025 | 406,600 | 399,773 | 401,899 | 409,309 | 418,044 | 427,967 | 435,184 | 454,838 | 459,507 | 465,137 | 469,704 | 470,231 | 443,612 | 461,171 |
| Middlesex County | 1,062,266 | 1,031,503 | 1,014,982 | 1,019,559 | 1,036,466 | 1,051,914 | 1,081,319 | 1,091,613 | 1,067,868 | 1,070,657 | 1,082,306 | 1,101,035 | 1,125,158 | 1,151,683 | 1,205,051 | 1,222,910 | 1,240,998 | 1,271,821 | 1,275,272 | 1,211,415 | 1,245,514 |
| Massachusetts | 4,075,959 | 4,021,589 | 3,991,991 | 4,028,638 | 4,071,326 | 4,110,415 | 4,202,942 | 4,215,669 | 4,115,997 | 4,115,539 | 4,175,311 | 4,253,327 | 4,353,568 | 4,447,626 | 4,631,417 | 4,709,797 | 4,778,252 | 4,854,641 | 4,872,989 | 4,600,345 | 4,761,271 |
| INDICATORS | TREND |
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