Published on Thursday, August 20, 2026
CRANSTON, R.I. – Jobs at Rhode Island businesses rose by 700 in July as the state’s unemployment rate decreased to 3.9 percent. Over the year, jobs were down 1,400 from July 2025, and the unemployment rate was down three-tenths of a percentage point.
Rhode Island’s Labor Force
The July unemployment rate was 3.9 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from the June rate. Last year, the rate was 4.2 percent in July.
The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.1 percent in July, down one-tenth of a percentage point from June. The U.S. rate was 4.3 percent in July 2025.
The number of unemployed Rhode Island residents — those residents classified as available for and actively seeking employment — was 22,400, down 1,200 from June. The number of unemployed residents was down 2,800 over the year.
The number of employed Rhode Island residents was 555,100, unchanged over the month and down 13,800 over the year.
The Rhode Island labor force totaled 577,400 in July, down 1,300 over the month and down 16,700 from July 2025.
The labor force participation rate was 62.1 percent in July, down two-tenths from June and down from 64.1 percent in July 2025. Nationally, 61.4 percent of U.S. residents participated in the labor force.
Unemployment Insurance claims* for first-time filers averaged 1,514 in July, up from 710 in June. Claims were down an average of 57 a week from July 2025.
Rhode Island-based Jobs
The number of total nonfarm jobs in Rhode Island was 513,900 in July, an increase of 700 jobs from the revised June jobs figure of 513,200. Over the year, total nonfarm jobs are down 1,400 or -0.3 percent. Nationally, jobs were up 0.2 percent or 316,000 from a year ago. The number of private sector jobs in Rhode Island was up 700 in July and up 200 from July 2025.
July Nonfarm Payroll Notes…
- The Other Services sector reported a gain of 700 jobs in July, following a gain of 400 jobs in June. The number of jobs within this sector is up 1,000 from a year ago.
- In addition, a gain of 400 jobs was reported in both the Administrative & Waste Services and Construction sectors.
- Offsetting the job gains was a loss of 200 jobs reported in the Accommodation & Food Services, Arts, Entertainment & Recreation, Health Care & Social Assistance, and Transportation & Utilities sectors.
- Over the past three months, the Rhode Island job count has been down less than 100 on average.
- The June jobs report was revised to 513,200, a decrease of 1,000 over the published job count of 514,200. The June over-the-month job change from May is now down 700, as opposed to the gain of 300 jobs originally reported.
Manufacturing Hours and Earnings
In July, production workers in the Manufacturing sector earned $26.76 per hour, up 66 cents from June and up 20 cents from July 2025. Manufacturing employees worked an average of 42.7 hours per week in July, down by one hour over the month but up by one and eight-tenths hours 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 August 2026 labor force figures and job counts at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
###
Date
