R.I. unemployment rate second highest in N.E. in May

RHODE ISLAND'S 16.3% unemployment rate in May was among the highest in New England. / AP FILE PHOTO/STEVEN SENNE
RHODE ISLAND'S 16.3% unemployment rate in May was among the highest in New England. / AP FILE PHOTO/STEVEN SENNE

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island’s 16.3% unemployment rate in May was the second highest in New England, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Friday.

The Ocean State’s unemployment rate declined from an adjusted 18.1% in April, the peak of COVID-19-related shutdowns, but increased 12.7 percentage points year over year, the second-highest percentage-point rise in the region, behind Massachusetts.

Read PBN’s full breakdown of Rhode Island’s economy in May here.

The national unemployment rate was 13.3% for the month, marking a decline of 1.4 percentage points month to month but a rise of 9.7 percentage points year over year.

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Rhode Island’s unemployment rate was only marginally lower than Massachusetts’ rate, which also rounded to 16.3%. Maine had the lowest unemployment rate in the region at 9.3%. Every state in the region had a decline in jobs year over year and a rise in the number of unemployed. Vermont was the only state in New England with an increase in labor force year over year, with the remainder posting declines.

Nationally, Nevada had the highest unemployment rate of any state in May at 25.3%, while Nebraska had the lowest at 5.2%.

New England employment figures for May:

  • Massachusetts: 16.3% unemployment rate, a 13.4 percentage-point rise year over year and a 0.1 percentage-point increase month to month.
  • New Hampshire: 14.5% unemployment rate, a 12 percentage-point increase year over year and a decline of 2.6 percentage points month to month.
  • Vermont: 12.7% unemployment rate, an increase of 10.4 percentage points year over year and a decline of 3.8 percentage points month to month.
  • Connecticut: 9.4% unemployment rate, a 5.7 percentage-point increase year over year and a 1.1 percentage-point increase month to month.
  • Maine: 9.3% unemployment rate, a 6.3 percentage-point rise from one year prior but a decline of 1.1 percentage points month to month.

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