PROVIDENCE – Fall River’s 8 percent jobless rate in December was the highest in the Providence metro area, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Warwick had the lowest at 4.1 percent, followed by Cranston at 4.8 percent. Providence had the second-highest unemployment rate among the four cities at 5.8 percent. The national rate was 4.8 percent in December.
All four communities saw their unemployment rates drop year over year in December, with Providence registering the greatest drop at 1.6 percentage points, the federal agency said.
The average hourly wage was $23.37 in the Providence metro area, which includes all of Rhode Island and Bristol County, higher than the national average of $22.71. •
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