Jobless rate declines in Prov. metro in October

THE PROVIDENCE-FALL RIVER-WARWICK METROPOLITAN area's jobless rate had one of the largest declines in the country in October.
THE PROVIDENCE-FALL RIVER-WARWICK METROPOLITAN area's jobless rate had one of the largest declines in the country in October.

PROVIDENCE – Unemployment rates were lower in October than a year ago in 354 of the country’s 372 metropolitan areas, with the Providence-Fall-River-Warwick area experiencing among the greatest declines at 2.7 percentage points, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The unemployment rate for the metropolitan area was 6.3 percent, compared with 9 percent a year ago. The number of unemployed workers dropped to 43,900 in October from 61,700, the federal agency said.

The only other metro area that had a greater percentage point decrease in its unemployment rate was Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev. (-2.8 percentage points).

The national unemployment rate in October was 5.5 percent, not seasonally adjusted, compared with 7 percent a year earlier.

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Yuma, Ariz., and El Centro, Calif., had the highest unemployment rates in October, at 24.7 percent and 23.7 percent, respectively. Bismarck, N.D., had the lowest unemployment rate, 2 percent, followed by Fargo, N.D.-Minn. at 2.2 percent.

In October, 318 metropolitan areas had over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment, and the Providence-Fall River-Warwick area was among them, gaining 6,900 jobs, or 1.2 percent, to 573,100.

The largest over-the-year employment increase occurred in New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. (+123,900). The largest over-the-year percentage gain in employment was in Midland, Texas, (+7.2 percent).

The largest over-the-year decrease in employment occurred in Atlantic City-Hammonton, N.J. (-9,900). The largest over-the-year percentage point decrease in employment occurred in Atlantic City-Hammonton, N.J. (-7.3 percent).

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