The business services cluster consists of business support, engineering and management services, and legal services. Business support includes firms that provide advertising, data processing, photocopying, and computer programming, among other services. The engineering and management services cluster includes establishments that provide engineering, accounting, auditing, and bookkeeping services. The legal services group consists largely of attorneys and law firms. Average annual earnings in the cluster are well above the area's average.
Tourism is one of the largest business clusters in the South Shore area.
Major groups are eating and drinking places, miscellaneous retail, hotels and other lodging places, amusement and recreation services, and museums. While much of the activity in these groups can be attributed to non-tourist related demand, the overall effect of tourism heavily influences the performance of these groups, particularly during the spring and summer. The South Shore's tourist attractions are still considered secondary destinations and day trips, though several initiatives are under way to improve and expand them. It has capitalized on its strategic location between Providence and Boston and on its access to intermodal transportation linkages to become a major distribution center. The Tri-Cities area is in a period of transition.