Central Oregon jobless rates edge upward in August amid mixed job-growth picture, state economist says
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Unemployment levels rose slightly across Central Oregon last month amid a mixed jobs picture, a common theme throughout Oregon in August, the Oregon Employment Department said Tuesday.
Central Oregon job gains were uneven in August, with Deschutes County (the Bend-Redmond Metro Area) exceeding its year-ago performance, while Crook and Jefferson counties pulled back, interim Regional Economist Dallas Fridley said.
Fridley said it's the first increase in area jobless rates since December 2020, but added that such a small increase isn't statistically significant and could be explained by the error range of the estimate.
Here's his report:
Crook County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point in August to 4.9%. The unemployment rate is near the record low set before the pandemic in October 2019 through January 2020, when it was 4.7%.
Crook County cut 30 nonfarm jobs in August, falling to 7,580. Employment levels in Crook County are up 9.8% from pre-pandemic levels (+650 jobs).
The county added 470 jobs in the last year (+6.6%). Crook County’s rate of job growth remains among the fastest of Oregon’s 36 counties over the past year. Job gains remain concentrated in construction (+140); information (+120 jobs); professional and business services (+80); and manufacturing (+60). There were no notable industry job losses.
Deschutes County (Bend-Redmond MSA): The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.6% in August, rising from a revised 3.4% in July. The unemployment rate in August remained near the record low levels from before the onset of the pandemic when it was 3.3%.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that Deschutes County added 320 jobs in August to total 90,620. Education and health services led private industry, rising by 170 jobs to reach 15,610. Accommodation and food services chipped in 110 jobs, rising to 12,320. Mining, logging, and construction cut 70 jobs and other services idled 30. August seasonally adjusted employment exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 980 jobs or 1.1%.
Total nonfarm employment expanded by 1.2% (+1,040 jobs) from August 2021. There remain strong gains in the hard hit accommodation and food services sector, which added 440 jobs from last August. There were also modest gains in durable goods manufacturing (+240 jobs); and construction (+190). However, a few industries shed jobs in the past year, including financial activities (-240 jobs) and information (-110).
Jefferson County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point to 4.8% in August. The unemployment rate was 4.4% in November 2019 through January 2020, before the first impacts from COVID-19.
Total nonfarm employment fell by 20 in August, with government down 30 jobs and private industry rising by 10. Jefferson County has regained all of the jobs it lost in the pandemic (+0.1%).
The rate of job growth is slowing in Jefferson County, with total nonfarm employment up 260 jobs over the past year (+4.0%). Job gains were concentrated in wood product manufacturing (+80 jobs) and leisure and hospitality (+70 jobs). There were a handful of modest industry job losses over the past year, including a decline of 20 jobs in wholesale trade.
Next Press Releases
The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the September county and metropolitan area unemployment rates on Tuesday, Oct. 25 and the statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for September on Wednesday, Oct. 19.
