PROVIDENCE – The unemployment rate in Rhode Island in July was the second highest in New England, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The 3.5% unemployment rate was only higher than Connecticut in the region.
The United States unemployment rate in July was 3.7%, a 0.2 percentage point decline on the year.
Read PBN’s full breakdown of Rhode Island’s employment figures for July here.
New England seasonally adjusted unemployment rates in July:
- Vermont: Declined 0.6 percentage points year over year to 2.1%
- New Hampshire: Remained level over the year at 2.5%
- Massachusetts: Declined 0.4 percentage points year over year to 2.9%
- Maine: Declined 0.4 percentage points year over year to 3%
- Rhode Island: Declined 0.4 percentage points year over year to 3.5%
- Connecticut: Declined 0.4 percentage points year over year to 3.6%
Rhode Island and Maine were the only states in the region that experienced labor force declines year over year. All six states saw increases in nonfarm employment year over year and year-over-year declines in the number of unemployed in the state.
Vermont had the lowest unemployment rate in the nation. The highest was in Alaska at 6.3%. The BLS said that the largest year-over-year percentage growth in nonfarm payrolls took place in Nevada and Utah, where payrolls rose 3.1% each.
