Kent County, RI jobs, unemployment and layoffs

Kent County’s unemployment rate is 2.5%. Employers filed 1 layoff notices here in the last 12 months. 48 open professional jobs are in its cities.

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Kent County economy

2.5%
unemployment, Sep 2026
3.4% the month before
94,170
in the labor force
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
170,658
people in Kent County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
$91,278
median household income
Source: Census ACS
44%
of workers in white-collar occupations
Management, business, financial and professional; Census ACS

Where Kent County ranks

Where Kent County placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.

November 2026

#5Fastest-growing job markets in New England+3.3% · of 24
#9Counties with the most job centers per unemployed person in New England4.2 per 10,000 · of 23
#11Counties where unemployment fell the most in New England−0.9 points · of 24
#11Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in New England18% · of 31
#15Counties with the lowest unemployment in New England2.5% · of 42
#17Counties with the lowest unemployment in the Northeast2.5% · of 100

Kent County outlook: Steady

Built from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census figures. It describes the area, not any one employer in it.

Private-sector jobs up 3.3% from 2022 to 2025
Population up 1.8% from 2020 to 2025
Unemployment 2.5%, down 0.9 points from a year ago
Sectors adding the most jobs: health care (+1,589 jobs), professional & technical (+420 jobs)
Sectors losing the most jobs: transportation & warehousing (−359 jobs)

Local job-market news

Recent headlines about layoffs, AI and jobs in Kent County. Each link goes to the publisher.

I-95 will close overnight in Cranston this weekend. Here's how to avoid it.The Draft Wire · Oct 14, 2026

Learn and get funded in Kent County

Which AI skills each kind of job asks for, with the pay premium.
Your local workforce board and American Job Centers: training vouchers and re-employment help.
Grants and funding for job seekers, ranked for your state and situation.
Unemployment benefits by state, if you are between jobs.

Kent County layoffs

1
Layoff notices, last 12 months
38
workers named
A floor: states may leave out counts
1
employer

Layoff notices filed in Kent County, newest first
Notice date	Employer	City or county	Workers	Type	Source
Jan 13, 2026	EaglePicherTakes effect Mar 15, 2026	East Greenwich	38	—	State record

All layoff notices in the state

Employers hiring most in Kent County

Employers with the most open professional roles in this county’s cities. The county is taken from each job’s city, so roles with no city are not counted.

Women and Infants Hospital4 open roles
Infineon Technologies3 open roles
BAYADA Home Health Care2 open roles
Butler Medical Providers2 open roles
Enhabit Home Health2 open roles
Advance Auto Parts1 open role
Amedisys Home Health Care1 open role
Astronova1 open role
Ballys1 open role
Bishop Hendricken High School1 open role

Colleges in Kent County

Colleges in Kent County
College	City	Type	Students
New England Institute of Technology	East Greenwich	Private non-profit 4-year	1,000–4,999

Workforce development and job centers

The public workforce board and American Job Centers serving Kent County. They offer free help with job search, training and filing for benefits.

Laid off in Rhode Island? How to file for unemployment in Rhode Island (steps, weekly amount and the appeal deadline).

Rhode Island Governor's Workforce Board
Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence, Washington

West Warwick American Job Center
West Warwick · Affiliate · 401-462-4100
Mon - Thr. 8:00am - 4:00pm, Friday 10:00am - 4:00pm

Cities in Kent County

Other Rhode Island counties

All of Rhode Island

Laid off or looking for work in Kent County?

See what to do first and the jobs open near you.

See your options after a layoff

Sources: Census Bureau and BLS (county unemployment is not seasonally adjusted); layoff notices from Rhode Island’s published record; job counts from our live job board; IPEDS for colleges; CareerOneStop for workforce boards and job centers. Rhode Island unemployment benefits and severance rules.

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