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Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Employment rose in Rhode Island’s two largest counties, Providence and Kent, from December 2023 to December 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Mark J. Maggi noted that Providence County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 1.5 percent. (See table 1.)
Employment in Providence was 293,100 in December 2024; Kent reported 77,300 employed. Together, the two largest counties accounted for 74.0 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 369 largest counties comprise 73.3 percent of total covered employment in the United States. (Large counties and county equivalents are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2023.)
Large county average weekly wages in the fourth quarter 2024The two large Rhode Island counties reported average weekly wage gains over the year. Kent had the largest gain (+4.0 percent), followed by Providence (+3.5 percent).
Weekly wages in the two large counties in Rhode Island were below the national average of $1,507. Average weekly wages were $1,352 in Providence and $1,272 in Kent.
Smaller county average weekly wages in the fourth quarter of 2024Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the three small counties in Rhode Island, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2023. (See table 2.) Average weekly wages in all three smaller counties were below the national average: Newport ($1,353), Washington ($1,249), and Bristol ($1,174).
When all five counties in Rhode Island are considered, one reported an average weekly wage of less than $1,200, two registered wages from $1,200 to $1,299, and two had average weekly wages of $1,300 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)
QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3.
Nationwide coverage of the largest counties is published in the County Employment and Wages news release. Additional information about quarterly employment and wages data is available in the news release Technical Note and from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.
Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.
The County Employment and Wages release for the first quarter 2025 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.
The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) is streamlining its release process. Beginning with the fourth quarter 2024 national release on June 4, QCEW will publish the national County Employment and Wages news release on the same date as the QCEW full data update. Revised news release dates are available online.
Area | Establishments, fourth quarter (thousands) |
Employment | Average weekly wage (1) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
December 2024 (thousands) |
Percent change, December 2023–24 (2) |
National ranking by percent change (3) |
Fourth quarter 2024 ($) |
National ranking by level (3) |
Percent change, fourth quarter 2023–24 (2) |
National ranking by percent change (3) |
||
United States (4) |
12,265.4 | 156,202.9 | 0.8 | -- | 1,507 | -- | 5.0 | -- |
Rhode Island |
48.9 | 500.8 | 1.6 | -- | 1,348 | 26 | 3.5 | 45 |
Kent |
7.0 | 77.3 | 1.1 | 91 | 1,272 | 221 | 4.0 | 203 |
Providence |
24.4 | 293.1 | 1.5 | 55 | 1,352 | 170 | 3.5 | 245 |
Footnotes: |
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Note: Data are preliminary. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. |
Area | Establishments | Employment December 2024 | Average weekly wage ($) (1) |
---|---|---|---|
United States (2) |
12,265,395 | 156,202,874 | 1,507 |
Rhode Island |
48,866 | 500,825 | 1,348 |
Bristol |
2,347 | 15,551 | 1,174 |
Kent |
6,966 | 77,329 | 1,272 |
Newport |
4,442 | 41,780 | 1,353 |
Providence |
24,375 | 293,116 | 1,352 |
Washington |
5,833 | 58,815 | 1,249 |
Footnotes: |
|||
Note: Data are preliminary. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. |
State | Establishments, fourth quarter (thousands) |
Employment | Average weekly wage (1) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
December 2024 (thousands) |
Percent change, December 2023–24 |
Fourth quarter 2024 ($) |
National ranking by level |
Percent change, fourth quarter 2023–24 |
National ranking by percent change |
||
United States (2) |
12,265.4 | 156,202.9 | 0.8 | 1,507 | -- | 5.0 | -- |
Alabama |
162.3 | 2,122.2 | 0.9 | 1,255 | 36 | 4.1 | 32 |
Alaska |
25.3 | 317.4 | 1.7 | 1,430 | 16 | 4.2 | 30 |
Arizona |
225.5 | 3,272.3 | 1.2 | 1,406 | 19 | 6.4 | 6 |
Arkansas |
106.1 | 1,312.6 | 1.1 | 1,153 | 50 | 5.9 | 10 |
California |
1,903.9 | 18,230.8 | 0.5 | 1,872 | 5 | 6.5 | 5 |
Colorado |
236.6 | 2,911.3 | -0.3 | 1,594 | 8 | 5.1 | 16 |
Connecticut |
150.7 | 1,700.7 | 0.5 | 1,716 | 6 | 5.2 | 15 |
Delaware |
45.2 | 480.6 | 1.5 | 1,437 | 15 | 4.5 | 24 |
District of Columbia |
52.4 | 757.2 | -0.5 | 2,495 | 1 | 4.7 | 21 |
Florida |
914.8 | 9,978.9 | 0.9 | 1,405 | 20 | 5.7 | 13 |
Georgia |
396.6 | 4,916.6 | 0.8 | 1,391 | 21 | 4.7 | 21 |
Hawaii |
61.4 | 651.3 | 1.1 | 1,345 | 27 | 4.3 | 26 |
Idaho |
103.9 | 859.1 | 0.5 | 1,232 | 39 | 8.3 | 3 |
Illinois |
411.2 | 6,089.1 | 0.5 | 1,538 | 12 | 4.1 | 32 |
Indiana |
194.6 | 3,201.9 | 0.4 | 1,222 | 44 | 4.4 | 25 |
Iowa |
112.5 | 1,559.3 | -0.6 | 1,237 | 38 | 3.2 | 50 |
Kansas |
103.5 | 1,445.6 | 0.9 | 1,218 | 45 | 4.3 | 26 |
Kentucky |
159.0 | 2,008.4 | 0.2 | 1,189 | 46 | 3.8 | 39 |
Louisiana |
156.8 | 1,936.3 | 1.1 | 1,228 | 40 | 2.8 | 51 |
Maine |
66.2 | 643.9 | 0.9 | 1,278 | 33 | 5.9 | 10 |
Maryland |
197.0 | 2,779.9 | 1.6 | 1,570 | 10 | 4.2 | 30 |
Massachusetts |
288.5 | 3,646.1 | -0.4 | 1,890 | 3 | 4.7 | 21 |
Michigan |
303.4 | 4,406.8 | -0.1 | 1,370 | 23 | 4.1 | 32 |
Minnesota |
215.1 | 2,945.4 | 1.1 | 1,452 | 14 | 3.7 | 42 |
Mississippi |
90.9 | 1,174.3 | 0.2 | 1,023 | 51 | 4.1 | 32 |
Missouri |
251.5 | 2,922.2 | 0.5 | 1,268 | 35 | 3.8 | 39 |
Montana |
65.8 | 512.8 | 0.5 | 1,254 | 37 | 6.4 | 6 |
Nebraska |
78.0 | 1,024.8 | 0.5 | 1,227 | 41 | 3.5 | 45 |
Nevada |
108.1 | 1,561.5 | 0.4 | 1,350 | 25 | 6.1 | 9 |
New Hampshire |
68.7 | 692.4 | 0.4 | 1,577 | 9 | 3.3 | 49 |
New Jersey |
339.1 | 4,332.2 | 0.9 | 1,629 | 7 | 3.4 | 47 |
New Mexico |
68.9 | 873.8 | 0.3 | 1,223 | 42 | 5.0 | 17 |
New York |
711.5 | 9,777.3 | 1.5 | 1,881 | 4 | 5.4 | 14 |
North Carolina |
384.0 | 4,941.9 | 0.5 | 1,358 | 24 | 5.8 | 12 |
North Dakota |
36.9 | 431.1 | 0.9 | 1,315 | 30 | 3.8 | 39 |
Ohio |
346.3 | 5,551.7 | 0.6 | 1,305 | 32 | 4.8 | 20 |
Oklahoma |
129.7 | 1,713.2 | 0.8 | 1,168 | 48 | 4.1 | 32 |
Oregon |
190.9 | 1,989.6 | 0.0 | 1,424 | 17 | 6.6 | 4 |
Pennsylvania |
395.1 | 6,076.5 | 0.8 | 1,414 | 18 | 4.0 | 37 |
Rhode Island |
48.9 | 500.8 | 1.6 | 1,348 | 26 | 3.5 | 45 |
South Carolina |
195.3 | 2,310.1 | 1.4 | 1,223 | 42 | 6.2 | 8 |
South Dakota |
40.6 | 459.7 | 0.9 | 1,181 | 47 | 3.9 | 38 |
Tennessee |
232.2 | 3,320.3 | 0.9 | 1,372 | 22 | 5.0 | 17 |
Texas |
846.0 | 14,129.7 | 1.5 | 1,488 | 13 | 4.3 | 26 |
Utah |
142.6 | 1,735.8 | 1.3 | 1,333 | 29 | 3.7 | 42 |
Vermont |
33.7 | 311.2 | 0.0 | 1,311 | 31 | 4.9 | 19 |
Virginia |
320.9 | 4,142.6 | 1.2 | 1,546 | 11 | 4.3 | 26 |
Washington |
241.5 | 3,612.0 | 0.8 | 1,897 | 2 | 8.7 | 2 |
West Virginia |
62.7 | 701.4 | 0.2 | 1,159 | 49 | 3.4 | 47 |
Wisconsin |
212.2 | 2,950.8 | 0.4 | 1,278 | 33 | 3.6 | 44 |
Wyoming |
31.1 | 279.4 | 0.5 | 1,340 | 28 | 12.4 | 1 |
Puerto Rico |
51.6 | 975.4 | -0.2 | 718 | (3) | 4.5 | (3) |
Virgin Islands |
3.0 | 33.1 | -8.6 | 1,046 | (3) | 1.8 | (3) |
Footnotes: |
|||||||
Note: Data are preliminary. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. |
Last Modified Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2025