BLS: R.I. largest year-over-year jobless rate drop in October, but still highest in N.E.

THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE in New England was 4.6 percent in October, below the national rate of 5 percent, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics said Thursday. / COURTESY U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE in New England was 4.6 percent in October, below the national rate of 5 percent, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics said Thursday. / COURTESY U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island had the largest decline in its jobless rate in October among the New England states, but still had the highest unemployment rate, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said Thursday.
The Ocean State had an unemployment rate of 5.3 percent in October, a year-over-year decline of 1.7 percentage points. It also had the greatest decrease among 25 states and the District of Columbia that had significant rate decreases from October 2014, the federal agency said.
Maine had the next-largest jobless rate decline among the New England states at 1.3 percentage points, to 4.3 percent, followed by Connecticut at 1.2 percentage points, to 5.1 percent, and Massachusetts at nine-tenths of a percentage point, to 4.6 percent.
New Hampshire had the lowest rate at 3.3 percent, a decline of eight-tenths of a percentage point over the year. Vermont’s rate was 3.7 percent, a decrease of five-tenths of a percentage point over the year.
The New England jobless rate was 4.6 percent in October, a full percentage point lower than in October 2014, the BLS said.
New England’s unemployment rate was lower than the national rate in October, which was 5 percent. That rate also declined year over year by seventh-tenths of a percentage point.
Rhode Island’s civilian labor force numbered 556,800 in October, with 527,500 employed and 29,400 unemployed. In October 2014, the labor force was 550,900, with 512,000 employed and 38,800 unemployed.

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