Rhode Island-Based Jobs Rose by 1,500 from October; November Unemployment Rate Remained at 4.6 Percent

Published on Thursday, December 19, 2024

CRANSTON, R.I. – Jobs at Rhode Island businesses rose by 1,500 in November as the state’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.6 percent. Over the year, jobs were up 8,500 from November 2023, and the unemployment rate was up one and two-tenths percentage points.

Rhode Island’s Labor Force

The November unemployment rate was 4.6 percent, unchanged from the October rate. Last year, the rate was 3.4 percent in November.

The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.2 percent in November, up one-tenth of a percentage point from October. The U.S. rate was 3.7 percent in November 2023. 
                                                       
The number of unemployed Rhode Island residents — those residents classified as available for and actively seeking employment — was 27,100, down 100 from October. The number of unemployed residents was up 7,300 over the year.

The number of employed Rhode Island residents was 561,600, down 1,700 over the month but up 5,100 over the year.

The Rhode Island labor force totaled 588,700 in November, down 1,800 over the month but up 12,400 from November 2023.

The labor force participation rate was 64.8 percent in November, down two-tenths of a percentage point from October, but up from 63.7 in November 2023. Nationally, 62.5 percent of U.S. residents participated in the labor force.

Unemployment Insurance claims* for first-time filers averaged 707 in November, up from 659 in October. Claims were down an average of 106 a week from November 2023.

Rhode Island-Based Jobs

The number of total nonfarm jobs in Rhode Island was 515,500 in November, an increase of 1,500 jobs from the revised October jobs figure of 514,000. Over the year, total nonfarm jobs are up 8,500 or 1.7 percent. Nationally, jobs were up 1.4 percent or 2.2 million from a year ago. The number of private sector jobs in Rhode Island was up 1,400 in November and up 7,100 from November 2023.

November Nonfarm Payroll Notes…

  • Total nonfarm employment reached an all-time in November.
  • In the past three months, the Rhode Island economy has added 5,900 jobs, an average of nearly 2,000 jobs per month.
  • The reported gain of 400 jobs in October was revised up by 600, resulting in a gain of 1,000 jobs from September to October.
  • The largest monthly job gains in November were noted in the Administrative & Waste Services and Health Care & Social Assistance sectors, with each sector adding 500 jobs.
  • Employment in the Health Care & Social Assistance sector continues to grow, establishing a peak level of 87,300 in November.
  • Since the start of the year, the Rhode Island economy has added 6,400 jobs, or nearly 600 jobs per month.

Manufacturing Hours and Earnings

In November, production workers in the Manufacturing sector earned $25.69 per hour, down twenty cents from October, and down forty cents from November 2023.

Manufacturing employees worked an average of 41.2 hours per week in November, up two-tenths of an hour over the month, and up one and four-tenths hours from a year ago.

* The average number of verified initial claims filed during the week that includes the 12th of the month and the three weeks prior. The Department of Labor and Training is scheduled to release the December 2024 labor force figures and job counts at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 23, 2025.

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