Rhode Island-based Jobs Rose by 500 from July; August Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.6 Percent

Rhode Island-based Jobs Rose by 500 from July; August Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.6 Percent

Published on Thursday, September 18, 2025

CRANSTON, R.I. - Jobs at Rhode Island businesses rose by 500 in August as the state's unemployment rate dropped two-tenths of a percentage point to 4.6 percent. Over the year, jobs were up 1,700 from August 2024, and the unemployment rate was up one-tenth of a percentage point.

Rhode Island's Labor Force

The August unemployment rate was 4.6 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from the July rate. Last year, the rate was 4.5 percent in August

The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in August, up one-tenth of a percentage point from July. The U.S. rate was 4.2 percent in August 2024.

The number of unemployed Rhode Island residents - those residents classified as available for and actively seeking employment - was 27,100, down 1,000 from July. The number of unemployed residents was up 700 over the year.

The number of employed Rhode Island residents was 561,700, up 2,100 over the month but down 3,300 over the year.

The Rhode Island labor force totaled 588,800 in August, up 1,100 over the month but down 2,600 from August 2024.

The labor force participation rate was 63.7 percent in August, up one-tenth of a percentage point from July but down from 64.4 percent in August 2024. Nationally, 62.3 percent of U.S. residents participated in the labor force.

Unemployment Insurance claims* for first-time filers averaged 893 in August, down from 1,571 in July. Claims were up an average of 162 a week from August 2024.

Rhode Island-based Jobs

The number of total nonfarm jobs in Rhode Island was 513,700 in August, an increase of 500 jobs from the revised July jobs figure of 513,200. Over the year, total nonfarm jobs are up 1,700 or 0.3 percent. Nationally, jobs were up 0.9 percent or over 1.4 million from a year ago. The number of private sector jobs in Rhode Island was up 300 in August and up 2,300 from August 2024.

August Nonfarm Payroll Notes…

• The August job gains were led by a gain of 700 jobs reported in the Administrative & Waste Services sector, propelling the employment level to 30,000, an all-time high.
• The Construction sector added 500 jobs in August, marking the highest monthly job gain this year.
• A gain of 400 jobs was reported in both the Professional & Technical Services and Transportation & Warehousing sectors.
• The Health Care & Social Assistance sector continues to shed jobs, losing 700 jobs in August, preceded by a loss of 800 jobs in June and 200 jobs in July.
• The number of jobs in the Accommodation & Food Services sector fell by 600 from July.
• The July monthly job count was revised down by 500, dropping the job level to 513,200, unchanged from June.

Manufacturing Hours and Earnings

In August, production workers in the Manufacturing sector earned $26.46 per hour, down ten cents from July but up forty-five cents from August 2024.Manufacturing employees worked an average of 40.9 hours per week in August, unchanged over the month and up four-tenths of an hour from a year ago.

*The average number of verified initial claims filed during the week includes the 12th of the month and the previous three weeks. The Department of Labor and Training is scheduled to release the September 2025 labor force figures and job counts at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 16, 2025.