How many jobs were lost in last month?

Updated May. 22, 2026Refreshed monthly
Rhode Island lost 500 jobs in April 2026, ranking it 43rd among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 640 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.

-500

month to month change in number of jobs (April 2026)

43rd

rank among states in monthly job growth (April 2026)
Rhode Island’s job loss of 500 April 2026 was a directional change from the previous month. The latest monthly job change was down from the 1,100 gain in March 2026.
During the latest five year period (May 2021 to April 2026), Rhode Island gained jobs in 41 out of 60 months. April 2026 had the 10th-lowest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in October 2021 (+3,900) while job growth was weakest in April 2023 (-3,300).

There were 500 fewer jobs in April 2026 in Rhode Island than the previous month.

Monthly change in nonfarm employment, May 2021–April 2026, seasonally adjusted

Which Rhode Island sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in April 2026?

The three supersectors with the highest job growth in April 2026 were private educational services, durable goods, and transportation, warehousing, and utilities. Private educational services added 400 jobs, more than the entire economy. Durable goods gained 300 jobs, while transportation, warehousing, and utilities added 300. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.

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The health care and social assistance sector lost 600 jobs during April 2026.

Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Rhode Island (April 2026)

How does Rhode Island's job growth in 2026 compare to previous years?

In 2025, the state has lost an average of 142 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 558, and the lowest since 2020. The 2025 average ranks as fifth-lowest in job growth since 2006.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 1,300 on average every month in 2008 to a gain of 783 on average every month in 2014.

In 2025, Rhode Island lost an average of 142 jobs every month.

Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted

Monthly job growth, by metro area

Metro areas where at least one of its primary counties are within Rhode Island

Monthly job growth, by metro area
Metro areaChange in jobs

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.