Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, notably as economic experts bandy around the idea of a potential recession by 2023. The last economic recession—the Great Recession of 2008-2010—sent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was not until the spring of 2019 that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.
As of October of this year, national unemployment is at 3.7%, 0.2% higher than in September. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2.0% in Minnesota, to 4.5% in Illinois and 4.7% in the District of Columbia. Further breakdown by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows yet another county-based spectrum within each state.
To that end, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rate in Rhode Island using data from the BLS. Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in September 2022.
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Kenneth C. Zirkel // Wikimedia Commons
#5. Newport County
– Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
— 1 month change: -0.7%
— 1 year change: -1.1%
– Total labor force: 45,923 (1,214 unemployed)
Kenneth C. Zirkel // Wikimedia Commons
#4. Bristol County
– Current unemployment rate: 2.7%
— 1 month change: -0.6%
— 1 year change: -1.1%
– Total labor force: 27,069 (721 unemployed)
Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger) // Wikimedia Commons
#3. Washington County
– Current unemployment rate: 2.7%
— 1 month change: -0.6%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
– Total labor force: 71,637 (1,950 unemployed)
Rhode Island Attorney General // Wikimedia Commons
#2. Kent County
– Current unemployment rate: 2.9%
— 1 month change: -0.7%
— 1 year change: -1.2%
– Total labor force: 95,493 (2,763 unemployed)
Kenneth C. Zirkel // Wikimedia Commons
#1. Providence County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.6%
— 1 month change: -0.7%
— 1 year change: -1.7%
– Total labor force: 341,641 (12,460 unemployed)
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