Fall River highest jobless rate in Dec. in Prov. metro

PROVIDENCE – The city of Fall River had the highest jobless rate in December of the four cities in the metro area at 9.3 percent, even though it declined 3.4 percentage points from a year ago, according to information released Thursday for the Providence-Fall River-Warwick metropolitan area by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
All four major cities in that region – Cranston, Fall River, Providence and Warwick – experienced jobless rate declines year over year, and, with the exception of Warwick, all had rates higher than the national unemployment rate of 5.4 percent.
After Fall River, Providence had the next highest jobless rate of 7.5 percent, a decline of 3 percentage points from a year ago; Cranston, 6 percent, a 2.7 percentage point decline; and Warwick, 5.2 percent, a 2.8 percentage point decline.
The Providence area as a whole had a 6.2 percent jobless rate, a 2.9 percentage point drop.
Total nonfarm employment numbered 570,900 in December, a 1.9 percent increase from a year ago.
Construction employment experienced the largest increase at 5.6 percent, to 20,800 jobs, followed by financial activities at 3.4 percent, to 36,100 jobs. The information sector had the only reported decline at 2 percent, to 9,800 jobs.
Out of a dozen occupations listed, accountants and auditors made the most in December at an average hourly wage of $36.01, higher than the national average for the industry at $34.86. Registered nurses were next at $35.47, also higher than the national average of $33.13. Cooks and fast food workers made the least at $9.36, again higher than the national average of $9.07.
Employer costs per hour for New England in September, the most recent month available, showed total compensation at $35.27 per hour, above the national average of $30.32. Wages and salaries were $24.88, with benefits at $10.39, in New England, compared with $21.18 for wages and salaries, and $9.14 for benefits nationally.

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