C.O. job numbers recover from ‘pandemic shock’; unemployment rates again close to record lows
Deschutes County leisure-hospitality jobs jump nearly 1/3 in a year
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Central Oregon posted modest employment gains on a seasonally adjusted basis in February, but still shows strong job gains over the past year, recovering from the "pandemic shock," the Oregon Employment Department reported Tuesday.
"Local unemployment rates have seen remarkable improvement and are fast approaching record low levels from before the pandemic," the report from Regional Economist Damon Runberg said.
Here's Runberg's High Desert jobs report for February:
Crook County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 5.2% in February, down from 5.4% in January. The unemployment rate is now less than 1 percentage point away from the record low levels before the pandemic in February 2020 when it was 4.4%.
Crook County posted a small gain of 20 jobs in February. Typically there is little change to the employment situation this time of year. Employment levels in Crook County are up 7.5% from pre-pandemic levels in February 2020 (+500 jobs).
The county added 490 jobs in the last year (+7.7%), the second-fastest rate of job growth among Oregon’s 36 counties. Job gains remain concentrated in construction (+140 jobs); leisure and hospitality (+120); information (+80); and local government (+70). The only job loss was a modest decline of 30 jobs in private education and health services.
Deschutes County (Bend-Redmond MSA): The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped in February to 3.8% from 4.0% in January. The unemployment rate is only 0.5 percentage point above the record low of 3.3% before the onset of the pandemic.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that Deschutes County added 370 jobs in February. This represents a modest seasonally adjusted gain of 220 jobs as the local economy typically posts little change to the employment situation this time of year.
Employment estimates for February 2022 exceeded February 2020 levels before the onset of the pandemic by 1,340 jobs (+1.5%). Based on these estimates, total nonfarm employment in local businesses has recovered from the pandemic shock.
Deschutes County’s total nonfarm employment expanded by a rapid 7.1% (+5,870 jobs) from February 2021. The bulk of these job gains are in the leisure and hospitality sector, which added 3,270 jobs in the past year (+32.8%). Other fast-growing sectors included manufacturing, local government education, construction and financial activities.
Jefferson County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 4.8% in February, down from 5.1% in January. The unemployment rate is fast approaching levels in February 2020 when it was 4.1% before the first impacts from COVID-19.
Total nonfarm employment rose by 50 jobs in February, stronger gains than typically expected this time of year. Employment levels in Jefferson County remain down 160 jobs (-2.3%) from levels just before the onset of the pandemic in February 2020.
Jefferson County added 120 jobs over the past year (+1.9%), much slower growth than other parts of Central Oregon. Job gains were largely concentrated in Indian tribal government (+70 jobs) and leisure and hospitality (+60). Over the past year, there were notable losses in private education and health services, as well as manufacturing, with each sector losing 40 jobs.
Next Press Releases
The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the March county and metropolitan area unemployment rates on Tuesday, Apr. 19 and the statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for March on Wednesday, Apr. 13.
