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Comparing Florida’s Elementary Academic Performance To National Trends

October 28, 2026

While Florida has made some education progress over the last couple of decades, data show there is still room for growth.

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October 22, 2026

Massachusetts’ Declining Unemployment Rate is the Result of a Shrinking Labor Force

At first glance, the latest unemployment numbers for Massachusetts look like good news. The state’s unemployment rate fell to 4.3 percent in August, its lowest level since March 2025 and down from a recent high of 4.8 percent in February, according to data released September 18 by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But a falling unemployment rate doesn’t always signal a stronger labor market. A closer look shows that Massachusetts employers are still cutting jobs, and that unemployment is falling mainly because fewer residents are working or looking for work at all.
October 21, 2026

Question 5: Let Government Grow, but Not Faster Than Your Paycheck

Question 5 restores a taxpayer protection Massachusetts voters approved in 1986: State tax collections can grow, but not faster than the wages and salaries of the people who fund government. When collections exceed that limit, the excess must be returned to taxpayers.
October 21, 2026

Behind Florida’s Job Boom Is a Business Boom

Florida’s private sector is booming, with employment up 12.2 percent from January 2020 to August 2026 — fifth-best in the nation. But what’s causing this explosive growth, and can we expect it to continue?

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Pioneer DataLabs

50 States. 50 Laboratories.

Pioneer DataLabs makes public data easy to explore so you can compare the 50 states and D.C. on the outcomes that matter. With additional tools focused on Massachusetts communities and Boston.

About US DataLabs

U.S. DataLabs brings together 62 federal databases across nine policy areas to compare all 50 states and D.C., track trends, explore rankings, and find peer states.

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