NextChapter

Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in New England

Suffolk County has the largest share of jobs in AI-exposed sectors in New England: 37% of its private-sector jobs, against 17% in the typical large county.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census data.

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Key facts

  • #1 Suffolk County, MA: 37%
  • #2 Middlesex County, MA: 35%
  • #3 Norfolk County, MA: 26%
  • 31 counties ranked in New England
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 17% across all large counties.

  1. 1Suffolk County MA37%
  2. 2Middlesex County MA35%
  3. 3Norfolk County MA26%
  4. 4Hillsborough County NH24%
  5. 5Cumberland County ME23%
  6. 6Providence County RI23%
  7. 7Washington County VT22%
  8. 8Rockingham County NH21%
  9. 9Newport County RI21%
  10. 10Chittenden County VT20%

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Suffolk County (37%) is well clear of Chittenden County at #10 (20%).
  • Washington County reaches #7 on a sample of 24,884 jobs, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Middlesex County is the largest market in the top ten, with 811,193 jobs behind its figure.
  • Counties with fewer than 20,000 jobs are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Some local economies rely on sectors whose tasks AI can do in principle. The share of private-sector jobs in those sectors shows how exposed a county's job base is.

How to use it

Use it as a prompt to look at which skills your own work depends on. Exposure describes tasks AI could do, not jobs that will disappear.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Suffolk County MA

    37%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    631,022
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (16% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.2%

    Based on 631,022 jobs.

    Suffolk County job market

  2. 2

    Middlesex County MA

    35%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    811,193
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (18% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −2.8%

    Based on 811,193 jobs.

    Middlesex County job market

  3. 3

    Norfolk County MA

    26%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    312,340
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (7% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.1%

    Based on 312,340 jobs.

    Norfolk County job market

  4. 4

    Hillsborough County NH

    24%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    178,067
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (8% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −1.3%

    Based on 178,067 jobs.

    Hillsborough County job market

  5. 5

    Cumberland County ME

    23%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    174,459
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (8% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +5.1%

    Based on 174,459 jobs.

    Cumberland County job market

  6. 6

    Providence County RI

    23%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    255,333
    Largest exposed sector
    Finance & insurance (7% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +3.1%

    Based on 255,333 jobs.

    Providence County job market

  7. 7

    Washington County VT

    22%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    24,884
    Largest exposed sector
    Finance & insurance (8% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −0.5%

    Based on 24,884 jobs.

    Washington County job market

  8. 8

    Rockingham County NH

    21%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    142,978
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (8% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +4.1%

    Based on 142,978 jobs.

    Rockingham County job market

  9. 9

    Newport County RI

    21%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    34,916
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (14% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +6.1%

    Based on 34,916 jobs.

    Newport County job market

  10. 10

    Chittenden County VT

    20%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    86,118
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (9% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.5%

    Based on 86,118 jobs.

    Chittenden County job market

  11. 11

    Kent County RI

    18%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    69,558
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (7% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +3.3%

    Based on 69,558 jobs.

    Kent County job market

  12. 12

    Worcester County MA

    18%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    301,530
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (6% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +0.9%

    Based on 301,530 jobs.

    Worcester County job market

  13. 13

    Merrimack County NH

    17%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    60,473
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (6% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.5%

    Based on 60,473 jobs.

    Merrimack County job market

  14. 14

    Essex County MA

    17%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    284,639
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (6% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.1%

    Based on 284,639 jobs.

    Essex County job market

  15. 15

    Plymouth County MA

    17%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    167,013
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (5% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.4%

    Based on 167,013 jobs.

    Plymouth County job market

  16. 16

    Strafford County NH

    15%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    37,972
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (6% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −1.4%

    Based on 37,972 jobs.

    Strafford County job market

  17. 17

    Penobscot County ME

    15%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    59,369
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (5% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.0%

    Based on 59,369 jobs.

    Penobscot County job market

  18. 18

    Androscoggin County ME

    14%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    42,761
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (5% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +0.8%

    Based on 42,761 jobs.

    Androscoggin County job market

  19. 19

    Barnstable County MA

    14%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    81,795
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (6% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.4%

    Based on 81,795 jobs.

    Barnstable County job market

  20. 20

    Hampden County MA

    14%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    168,285
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (4% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −3.2%

    Based on 168,285 jobs.

    Hampden County job market

  21. 21

    Rutland County VT

    13%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    21,659
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (5% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.5%

    Based on 21,659 jobs.

    Rutland County job market

  22. 22

    Kennebec County ME

    13%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    45,542
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (4% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.9%

    Based on 45,542 jobs.

    Kennebec County job market

  23. 23

    York County ME

    13%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    62,524
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (5% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +4.5%

    Based on 62,524 jobs.

    York County job market

  24. 24

    Bristol County MA

    12%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    194,899
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (5% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −1.4%

    Based on 194,899 jobs.

    Bristol County job market

  25. 25

    Cheshire County NH

    12%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    26,289
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (3% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −2.1%

    Based on 26,289 jobs.

    Cheshire County job market

Full ranking

All 31 counties that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCountyScoreSample
1Suffolk County MA37%631,022
2Middlesex County MA35%811,193
3Norfolk County MA26%312,340
4Hillsborough County NH24%178,067
5Cumberland County ME23%174,459
6Providence County RI23%255,333
7Washington County VT22%24,884
8Rockingham County NH21%142,978
9Newport County RI21%34,916
10Chittenden County VT20%86,118
11Kent County RI18%69,558
12Worcester County MA18%301,530
13Merrimack County NH17%60,473
14Essex County MA17%284,639
15Plymouth County MA17%167,013
16Strafford County NH15%37,972
17Penobscot County ME15%59,369
18Androscoggin County ME14%42,761
19Barnstable County MA14%81,795
20Hampden County MA14%168,285
21Rutland County VT13%21,659
22Kennebec County ME13%45,542
23York County ME13%62,524
24Bristol County MA12%194,899
25Cheshire County NH12%26,289
26Belknap County NH12%21,857
27Hampshire County MA11%47,749
28Grafton County NH11%48,365
29Washington County RI10%51,344
30Berkshire County MA8%49,984
31Franklin County MA2%19,898

How this ranking works

A county's score is the share of its private-sector jobs in the sectors where much of the work is information handling that AI can already do in part: Information, Finance and insurance, Professional and technical services, Management of companies, and Administrative and staffing services. Jobs come from BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025.

Exposure describes the mix of a local economy, not a forecast of lost jobs. Only counties with at least 20,000 private-sector jobs in 2022 are ranked.

Sample bar: counties with fewer than 20,000 jobs are not ranked.

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 (private-sector jobs by sector). Data as of November 2026.

Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.

Questions

Which county ranks first: counties with the most jobs in ai-exposed sectors in new england?
Suffolk County has the largest share of jobs in AI-exposed sectors in New England: 37% of its private-sector jobs, against 17% in the typical large county.
How many counties are ranked?
31 counties have at least 20,000 jobs, so the list has 31 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A county's score is the share of its private-sector jobs in the sectors where much of the work is information handling that AI can already do in part: Information, Finance and insurance, Professional and technical services, Management of companies, and Administrative and staffing services. Jobs come from BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025. Exposure describes the mix of a local economy, not a forecast of lost jobs. Only counties with at least 20,000 private-sector jobs in 2022 are ranked.
How often is it updated?
Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.

More rankings

Cite this ranking

NextChapter, “Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in New England,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-ai-exposed-jobs-in-new-england

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-ai-exposed-jobs-in-new-england">Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in New England (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.

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