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Rhode Island
Wondering how your pay stacks up to others in RI? See the data.
America’s wealth gap is exploding. Should the rich pay more?
Income inequality is soaring in the U.S., sparking a national debate: Should the super‑rich face a wealth tax?
Rhode Island residents earn more money per hour, on average, than workers in most other states, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The agency released state-by-state figures for average hourly earnings, along with average weekly pay and hours worked, for December 2025, showing an overall increase in New England from earlier in the year.
In general, New England states had higher wages than those in the central U.S. and the South. But the state where people make the most per hour isn’t in New England.
Here are the average hourly earnings for Rhode Island residents and how they compare to other states.
What is the average hourly pay in Rhode Island?
On average, Ocean Staters earn $37.89 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This figure, which is not seasonally adjusted, is up from $36.38 in June 2025.
That translates to an average weekly pay of $1,269.32, compared with $1,229.64 in June 2025.
Rhode Island ranks 12th among states – and 13th overall when Washington, D.C. is included – for average hourly pay.
How many hours per week do people in Rhode Island work?
On average, Rhode Island residents work 33.5 hours per week, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is down slightly from 33.8 hours in June 2025.
How does Rhode Island compare to other New England states?
Rhode Island is the third-highest-earning state in New England. Here’s what the other states earn, as of December 2025:
- Massachusetts: $42.90 (Up $0.90 from $42.00 in June 2025)
- Connecticut: $39.97 (Up $0.99 from $38.98 in June 2025)
- Rhode Island: $37.89 (Up $1.51 from $36.38 in June 2025)
- New Hampshire: $35.73 (Up $0.55 from $35.18 in June 2025)
- Vermont: $35.76 (Up $0.97 from $34.79 in June 2025)
- Maine: $33.34 (Up $0.91 from $32.43 in June 2025)
Where do people earn the most per hour?
Employees in the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., earn the most money with an average hourly pay of $57.10 per hour. This is $19.21 per hour more than what workers in Rhode Island make.
The state with the second-highest hourly earnings is Washington, on the West Coast, with $43.53. This is $5.64 per hour more than what workers in Rhode Island make.
What state earns the least per hour?
Mississippi lands in last place for earnings per hour. Average hourly earnings in this southern state are $27.91.
CUMBERLAND, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island State Police are investigating a crash that happened on I-295 North in Cumberland Tuesday night.
The crash happened in the right lane near Exit 22 just before 9 p.m.
It’s unclear exactly what caused the crash or if anyone was injured.
12 News has reached out to Rhode Island State Police for more information but has not heard back.
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Scandals shake up Capitol Hill ahead of midterm elections
Congressional reporter Zachary Schermele dives into the latest scandals on Capitol Hill and how they’re shaking up politics ahead of midterms.
Rhode Island’s Democrat and Republican primary elections will officially be held on Wednesday, Sept. 9 this year, instead of the usual Tuesday election day.
Lawmakers passed the bill at the urging of state and local officials, who were concerned that an election day falling the day after Labor Day would not give them enough time to set up polls for the arrival of voters.
Gov. Dan McKee signed the bill on April 20, officially moving the primary day for 2026.
Which races will be on the ballot? The Republican and Democrat nominees for a swath of local offices – most notably governor but also lieutenant governor and attorney general.
Why was RI’s primary day moved?
At a hearing on the bill earlier this year, Randy Rossi, executive director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns explained the “significant logistical and financial challenges” municipalities otherwise would have faced having an election the day after Labor Day.
“Beyond cost, municipalities face serious logistical challenges accessing and setting up more than 430 polling locations on a major federal holiday, a process that often requires many hours and access to facilities that are typically closed and unstaffed on Labor Day,” he said.
“Compounding these challenges, many municipalities conduct early voting in city or town halls that must also serve as primary day polling locations,” Rossi noted.
Without changes to current law, he said, “municipalities would be required to conduct early voting and primary day polling simultaneously, often in the same limited space and with the same poll workers, requiring additional staffing and facilities.”
By the time this legislative hearing took place in January, other states facing similar issues, including Massachusetts, had already adjusted their primary dates, “and Rhode Island itself has demonstrated that alternative scheduling can be successful, as occurred during the statewide Wednesday primary in 2018,” Rossi said.
EAST GREENWICH, R.I. (WPRI) — If you’re looking to satisfy you’re sweet tooth, look no further than Division Street.
Nothing Bundt Cakes opened its first Rhode Island bakery in East Greenwich earlier this month. The new bakery is situated within East Greenwich Square, which is also home to the Ocean State’s first Crumbl.
The bakery is known for its handcrafted specialty Bundt cakes, as well as smaller “Bundtlets,” and bite-sized “Bundtinis,” that come in a variety of flavors.
“There’s a strong sense of local pride, creativity, and community here that aligns perfectly with our values,” said Jake Williams, who owns the East Greenwich bakery. “We were drawn to the area’s vibrant small business culture and the opportunity to contribute something special.”
Nothing Bundt Cakes is also expected to open another bakery at Chapel View in Cranston later this year.
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