PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island unemployment rate was 7.3% in February, an increase of 0.1 percentage points month to month and higher than the United States rate of 6.2%, the R.I. Department of Labor and Training said Thursday.
The state unemployment rate was 4% in February 2020.
Unemployed residents in Rhode Island totaled 39,300 in February, a rise of 300 from a month before and 17,100 more than a year ago.
Employed Rhode Islanders totaled 499,600, a decline of 1,600 month to month and 40,200 year over year.
The state labor force totaled 528,900, a decline of 1,300 month to month, and 23,100 year over year.
Nonfarm employment in the state totaled 462,900 for the month, a decline of 300 from January, and a decline of 44,300, year over year. The month-to-month decline was mostly driven by a decline in the educational services sector.
Nonfarm employment in Rhode Island by sector:
- Health care and social assistance: 75,500, an increase of 300 month to month and a decline of 7,900 year over year.
- Professional and business services: 64,400, an increase of 600 month to month and a decline of 4,200 year over year
- Government: 61,900, an increase of 200 month to month and a decline of 3,600 year over year
- Retail trade: 46,300, an increase of 200 month to month and a decline of 1,600 year over year
- Accommodation and food services: 40,600, an increase of 400 month to month and a decline of 12,000 year over year
- Manufacturing: 38,000, an increase of 200 month to month and a decline of 1,800 year over year. Manufacturing production workers earned an average of $20.89 per hour in February, an increase of 34 cents from January and $1.44 cents year over year. Workers in the sector worked an average of 36.8 hours per week, an increase of 0.2 hours month to month and a decline of 0.7 hours year over year.
- Financial services: 34,000, an increase of 200 month to month and 1,700 year over year
- Educational services: 23,300, an increase of 1,900 month to month and 3,700 year over year
- Other services: 20,600, an increase of 500 month to month and a decline of 2,400, year over year
- Construction: 19,700, level with January and a decline of 600, year over year.
- Wholesale trade: 15,200, an increase of 100 month to month and a decline of 600, year over year
- Transportation and utilities; 12,900, a decline of 300 month to month and 500, year over year
- Arts, entertainment and recreation: 5,300, a decline of 400 month to month and a decline of 12,000, year over year
- Information: 5,000, level with one month prior and a decline of 800, year over year
- Mining and logging: 200, unchanged month to month and year over year
