RI!JOBS=LAUS(44)
Rhode Island: jobs and unemployment
Unemployment, employment and the labor force in Rhode Island from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
BLS LAUSLatest month: September 2026
Unemployment, September 20263.6%#23 of 51 · #1 = lowest
Annual average, 20254.5%US 4.3%, weighted by labor force
Labor force, 2025593.3K−0.1% on a year earlier
Employed, 2025566.7K26,643 unemployed
Labor forceEmployed
| Year | Unemployment rate | Labor force | Employed | Unemployed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.5% | 593,330 | 566,687 | 26,643 | |
| 2024 | 4.2% | 593,828 | 568,593 | 25,235 | |
| 2023 | 3.0% | 581,465 | 564,141 | 17,324 | |
| 2022 | 3.2% | 576,096 | 557,492 | 18,604 | |
| 2021 | 5.6% | 575,479 | 543,488 | 31,991 | |
| 2020 | 9.2% | 569,990 | 517,492 | 52,498 | |
| 2019 | 3.5% | 573,479 | 553,361 | 20,118 | |
| 2018 | 4.0% | 571,703 | 548,595 | 23,108 | |
| 2017 | 4.5% | 568,518 | 543,009 | 25,509 | |
| 2016 | 5.2% | 564,640 | 535,153 | 29,487 | |
| 2015 | 6.0% | 564,979 | 530,870 | 34,109 | |
| 2014 | 7.8% | 564,607 | 520,813 | 43,794 | |
| 2013 | 9.5% | 564,993 | 511,388 | 53,605 | |
| 2012 | 10.3% | 564,851 | 506,709 | 58,142 | |
| 2011 | 11.1% | 564,949 | 502,241 | 62,708 | |
| 2010 | 11.6% | 571,220 | 504,776 | 66,444 | |
| 2009 | 11.2% | 567,454 | 503,921 | 63,533 | |
| 2008 | 7.6% | 566,960 | 523,792 | 43,168 | |
| 2007 | 5.1% | 569,883 | 540,744 | 29,139 | |
| 2006 | 5.2% | 570,311 | 540,396 | 29,915 | |
| 2005 | 5.1% | 562,093 | 533,200 | 28,893 | |
| 2004 | 5.3% | 554,567 | 525,298 | 29,269 | |
| 2003 | 5.5% | 559,590 | 528,692 | 30,898 | |
| 2002 | 5.1% | 549,180 | 521,396 | 27,784 | |
| 2001 | 4.5% | 541,618 | 517,273 | 24,345 | |
| 2000 | 4.0% | 542,682 | 520,737 | 21,945 | |
| 1999 | 4.2% | 538,280 | 515,704 | 22,576 | |
| 1998 | 4.6% | 530,876 | 506,553 | 24,323 | |
| 1997 | 5.3% | 530,355 | 502,017 | 28,338 | |
| 1996 | 5.2% | 517,071 | 490,230 | 26,841 | |
| 1995 | 6.3% | 511,022 | 478,728 | 32,294 | |
| 1994 | 6.7% | 514,105 | 479,776 | 34,329 | |
| 1993 | 7.7% | 523,202 | 483,173 | 40,029 | |
| 1992 | 9.0% | 529,069 | 481,436 | 47,633 | |
| 1991 | 8.3% | 523,337 | 480,033 | 43,304 | |
| 1990 | 6.2% | 522,944 | 490,495 | 32,449 | |
| 1989 | 3.9% | 518,972 | 498,693 | 20,279 | |
| 1988 | 3.0% | 516,193 | 500,922 | 15,271 | |
| 1987 | 3.7% | 513,823 | 494,704 | 19,119 | |
| 1986 | 4.1% | 505,541 | 485,007 | 20,534 | |
| 1985 | 4.7% | 497,987 | 474,815 | 23,172 | |
| 1984 | 5.4% | 488,341 | 462,114 | 26,227 | |
| 1983 | 8.4% | 479,927 | 439,467 | 40,460 | |
| 1982 | 9.8% | 480,443 | 433,169 | 47,274 | |
| 1981 | 7.6% | 476,903 | 440,637 | 36,266 | |
| 1980 | 7.2% | 470,502 | 436,578 | 33,924 | |
| 1979 | 6.3% | 463,450 | 434,112 | 29,338 | |
| 1978 | 6.3% | 450,905 | 422,337 | 28,568 | |
| 1977 | 8.1% | 449,144 | 412,920 | 36,224 | |
| 1976 | 8.0% | 441,582 | 406,183 | 35,399 |
BLS LAUS: monthly rates are seasonally adjusted; annual averages are not seasonally adjusted.