Central Oregon adds more jobs in February; unemployment rates hold steady
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates saw little change in Central Oregon this February, the Oregon Employment Department reported Tuesday. Total nonfarm employment increased across all three counties over the month, while Crook County was the only one to experience a decline in nonfarm employment over the year.
Here's the full report from Regional Economist Nicole Ramos:
Bend MSA (Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson Counties): Labor force statistics for Oregon metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) are produced by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Through June 2025, seasonally adjusted data are not available for Oregon MSAs or other MSAs around the country. New MSA definitions resulting from the 2020 Census are being incorporated into the history of the data series back to 1990, as well as other updates to the processing of labor force estimates for substate areas. Read more on this pause in seasonally adjusted metro area data here.
The Bend MSA gained 1,090 jobs (+1.0%) from January to February and total nonfarm employment is now 111,110. Job gains were concentrated within the public sector (+800 jobs), with most gains occurring in local government (+820 jobs); professional and business services (+300 jobs); and mining, logging, and construction (+130 jobs). Losses were minimal and seen in leisure and hospitality (-70 jobs); financial activities (-50 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (-50 jobs); and other services (-10 jobs).
Total nonfarm employment increased by 2.9% (+3,130 jobs) from February 2024 to February 2025. Over-the-year job gains were concentrated in private education and health services (+1,050 jobs); and leisure and hospitality (+970 jobs). Other notable gains took place in the public sector (+370 jobs); professional and business services (+340 jobs); manufacturing (+230 jobs); and trade, transportation, and utilities (+210 jobs). Over-the-year losses occurred within financial activities (-70 jobs) and information (-40 jobs).
Crook County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held firm over the month of February at 5.4%, unchanged from January’s rate—in February of last year, it was 6.3%. The unemployment rate remains 0.9 percentage point above the record low set before the pandemic, in late 2019, when it hit 4.5%.
Crook County gained 60 jobs (+0.8%) in February — all from private-sector job gains. These gains were primarily concentrated in professional and business services (+20 jobs) and construction (+20 jobs). Smaller increases were also recorded in trade, transportation, and utilities (+10 jobs) and financial activities (+10 jobs). All other major industries remained steady over the month.
The county lost 140 jobs over the past year (-1.9%). Losses were concentrated within public-sector employment, with a decline of 120 jobs over the year, and an additional 20 jobs lost in the private sector. Notable private-sector job losses occurred in manufacturing (-40 jobs), specifically in wood product manufacturing (-40 jobs), as well as in mining, logging, and construction (-20 jobs). Over-the-year job gains were minimal and occurred within other services (+50 jobs) and private education and health services (+10 jobs), while all other major industries saw little to no change year-over-year.
Deschutes County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased marginally from 4.0% in January to 4.1% in February. In February of 2024 the unemployment rate was slightly lower at 4.0%. The unemployment rate is 0.8 percentage point above its record low of 3.3% before the onset of the pandemic.
Deschutes County gained 940 jobs (+1.0%) from January to February and total nonfarm employment is now 97,260. Job gains were recorded mainly within the public sector (+720 jobs), with all job gains occurring at the local level (+730 jobs). Private-sector gains were not as strong and concentrated primarily within professional and business services (+270 jobs) and mining, logging, and construction (+110 jobs). Private-sector losses were even weaker with the strongest losses recorded in leisure and hospitality (-70 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (-60 jobs); and financial activities (-60 jobs).
Total nonfarm employment increased by 3.3% (+3,140 jobs) from February 2024 to February 2025. Over-the-year job gains were strongest in private education and health services (+1,030 jobs); leisure and hospitality (+990 jobs); government (+380 jobs); and professional and business services (+340 jobs). Other notable gains took place in trade, transportation, and utilities (+230 jobs); manufacturing (+190 jobs); and mining, logging, and construction (+90 jobs). Over-the-year losses occurred within financial activities (-50 jobs), information (-30 jobs), and other services (-30 jobs).
Jefferson County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged in February, holding steady at 4.6%. Last year the unemployment rate was slightly higher at 4.8% in February. Shortly before the first impacts from COVID-19 were felt the rate was 4.3%.
Total nonfarm employment gained 90 jobs in February (+1.4%), with the majority of gains taking place within the public sector (+80 jobs), all of which stemmed from local government employment. Marginal private-sector gains were also recorded in professional and business services (+10 jobs), while all other supersectors held steady with no change in employment over the month.
Jefferson County's total nonfarm employment rose by 130 jobs over the past year (+2.0%). Job gains were primarily concentrated within government (+110 jobs) and manufacturing (+80 jobs), with smaller increases seen in professional and business services and private education and health services (+10 jobs each). Job losses were more widespread but less significant in magnitude, with trade, transportation, and utilities; financial activities; and other services each losing 20 jobs over the month. Additional minor losses occurred in information and leisure and hospitality (-10 jobs each).
Next Press Releases
The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the March county and metropolitan area unemployment rates and employment survey data on Tuesday, April 22, and the statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for March on Wednesday, April 16.
