Employment & Unemployment Throughout the Year

Barnstable County’s monthly average employment is shaped by the seasonal nature of the region’s tourism-driven economy, with employment generally increasing during the peak summer season and decreasing during the winter months. Accommodation and Food Services, Retail Trade, and Health Care and Social Assistance remain the top industries throughout the year, despite the fluctuation of Accommodation and Food Services and Retail Trade in the summer months. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a significant, sharp increase in unemployment in March and April, with the Accommodations and Food Services and Retail Trade industries severely affected. Other heavily affected industries included Health Care and Social Assistance and Construction, which rank among Barnstable County’s largest industries as measured by average monthly employment. By 2022, unemployment rates had returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Download an Excel file of the Employment and Unemployment Dashboard data.