CRANSTON – Rhode Island’s seasonally adjusted unemployment in October was 2.7%, one-tenth of a percentage point higher than the previous month, the R.I. Department of Labor and Training said Thursday.
The DLT says the number of unemployed Rhode Islanders in October was 15,600, up 700 from September but a reduction of 3,600 from a year ago. Also, the number of employed residents was at 555,700 as of October, up 100 from the previous month and 9,100 more than October 2022, according to the DLT.
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Overall, the state’s labor force was 572,900 in October, up 1,000 from September and 5,700 from October 2022, the DLT said. Rhode Island’s unemployment rate in October 2022 was 3.4%.
The state’s total nonfarm jobs in October totaled 495,400, a decrease of 100 from September. These jobs exclude farming and some government, private and nonprofit workers.
Also, the DLT said that through October, the state’s economy has recovered 96,400 jobs, or 88.6%, of the 108,300 jobs that were lost during the pandemic’s shutdown.
Of the state’s nonfarm jobs, eight industry sectors lost jobs in October: construction; wholesale trade; retail trade; real estate; rental and leasing; administrative and waste services; educational services; health care and social assistance. Construction lost 1,000 jobs, the most of any sector in October.
Nine industry sectors posted gains in October, led by the accommodations and food- services group, which added 600 jobs.
Seasonally adjusted nonfarm payrolls in Rhode Island by sector in October:
- Accommodation and food services: 49,100, an increase of 600 from September but a loss of 200 year over year.
- Administrative and waste services: 26,400, a decrease of 300 since September and 1,400 year over year.
- Arts, entertainment and recreation: 7,900, a gain of 200 since September and 300 year over year.
- Construction: 21,300, a decrease of 1,000 from September but up 100 year over year.
- Educational services: 24,900, down 100 from September and 600 year over year.
- Finance and insurance: 29,400, up 300 from September and 500 year over year.
- Government: 64,900, up 200 from September and 700 year over year.
- Health care and social assistance: 82,600, a decrease of 700 from September and 2,500 year over year.
- Information: 5,600, up 100 from September but down 300 year over year.
- Management of companies and enterprises: 10,800, up 200 from September but down 100 year over year.
- Manufacturing: 40,200, an increase of 100 from September and level with a year ago. Production workers in the sector earned $25.93 per hour in October, up $1.50 from September and 75 cents from October 2022.
- Professional, scientific and technical services: 29,800, up 500 from September but down 100 year over year.
- Real estate, rental and leasing: 5,800, down 300 from September and 800 year over year.
