Rhode Island’s Unemployment Rate Continues to Outperform Massachusetts - Go Local Prov

Rhode Island’s job market improved slightly in August, and the numbers continue to show that Rhode Island's unemployment rate is lower than Massachusetts'. Jobs at Rhode Island businesses rose by 500 in August as the state’s unemployment rate decreased to 3.7 percent. In Massachusetts, the job situation is going in the opposite direction. Losing more than 11,000 jobs in the past two months. “The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) released Massachusetts unemployment and job estimates for August 2026, with preliminary data indicating that payroll jobs decreased by 7,100 for the month, following a revised decrease of 4,000 jobs in July. Preliminary data also shows the August unemployment rate dropped to 4.