BLS: Warwick jobless rate in September falls to 4.2%, lowest among selected area cities

WARWICK'S JOBLESS rate was the lowest among selected area cities in September at 4.2 percent, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. / COURTESY U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
WARWICK'S JOBLESS rate was the lowest among selected area cities in September at 4.2 percent, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. / COURTESY U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

PROVIDENCE – Warwick had the lowest unemployment rate in September at 4.2 percent among four area cities identified by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Warwick’s rate also dropped 2 percentage points over the year, and was lower than the state’s overall jobless rate of 5.4 percent in September. Next lowest was Cranston at 4.8 percent, which fell 2.2 percentage points over the year, followed by Providence at 5.8 percent, which decreased 2.5 percentage points.
While Fall River had the highest jobless rate in the region at 7.4 percent, it also was lower compared with last September, dropping 1.9 percentage points over the year, the federal agency said.
In September, total nonfarm employment was 582,200 in the Providence area, a 1.4 percent increase over the year.
The leisure and hospitality sector had the greatest increase at 4.3 percent, to 71,000 jobs, followed by professional and business services at 3.5 percent, to 71,200. The construction and information sectors had the greatest declines at 3.2 percent, to 21,500, and 3 percent, to 9,700, respectively, the BLS said.
Among selected occupations listed for the Providence area, accountants and auditors make the most at an average of $37.07 an hour, which was higher than the national average of $35.42, followed by registered nurses at $36.37, again higher than the national average of $33.55. Cooks and fast food workers make the least at $9.62, but also are paid higher than the national average of $9.15, the agency said.

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