Some Central Oregon jobless rates edge higher, but there also were more jobs added in March

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose slightly in Crook and Deschutes counties this March and held steady in Jefferson County, but job gains also were recorded in several sectors, the Oregon Employment Department reported Tuesday.

Total nonfarm employment saw slight increases over the month in all Central Oregon counties. Year-over-year Crook County was the only county to register a decline in total nonfarm employment.   

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 960 jobs (+0.9%) from February to March, and total nonfarm employment is now 112,130. Job gains were concentrated within professional and business services (+540 jobs); leisure and hospitality (+150 jobs); and mining, logging, and construction (+120 jobs). Other notable supersector gains took place in private education and health services (+70 jobs), the public-sector (+60 jobs) and manufacturing (+60 jobs). Losses were seen in financial activities (-30 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (-20 jobs); and information (-20 jobs).  

Total nonfarm employment increased by 3.0% (+3,290 jobs) from March 2024 to March 2025. Over the year job gains were concentrated within private education and health services (+1,030 jobs); leisure and hospitality (+910 jobs); and professional and business services (+590 jobs). Other notable gains took place in manufacturing (+360 jobs); government (+270 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (+160 jobs); and mining, logging, and construction (+130 jobs). Over-the-year losses occurred within financial activities (-150 jobs) and information (-30 jobs). 

Crook County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased over the month of March and is now 5.2%, up from a revised rate of 5.1% in February—in March of last year, it was 5.5%. The unemployment rate remains 0.7 percentage point above the record low set before the pandemic, in late 2019, when it hit 4.5%. 

Crook County saw very little movement in total nonfarm employment over the month, with a gain of 30 jobs (+0.4%) in March. These gains were primarily concentrated within the public-sector (+20 jobs), with smaller increases in trade, transportation, and utilities (+10 jobs); private education and health services (+10 jobs); and mining, logging, and construction (+10 jobs). All other major industries saw little to no movement over the month.  

Over the past year, the county lost 150 jobs (-2.0%). Losses were concentrated within public-sector employment, with a decline of 130 jobs over the year, primarily in local government. The private sector lost an additional 20 jobs over the year. Notable private-sector job losses occurred in professional and business services (-30 jobs); manufacturing (-20 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (-20 jobs); and information (-20 jobs). Over the year job gains were not as large and occurred within other services (+50 jobs); private education and health services (+10 jobs); and leisure and hospitality (+10 jobs). 

Deschutes County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased marginally from a revised 4.2% in February to 4.3% in March. In March of 2024 the unemployment rate was slightly lower at 4.1%. The unemployment rate is 1 percentage point above its record low of 3.3% before the onset of the pandemic.  

Deschutes County gained 890 jobs (+0.9%) from February to March and total nonfarm employment is now 98,200. Job gains were recorded mainly within professional and business services (+530 jobs). Smaller but noteworthy gains also occurred within leisure and hospitality (+140 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (+110 jobs); government (+60 jobs); private education and health services (+60 jobs); and manufacturing (+50 jobs).

Private-sector losses were weaker, with the strongest losses recorded in trade, transportation, and utilities (-40 jobs); financial activities (-30 jobs); and information (-10 jobs). 

Total nonfarm employment increased 3.5% (+3,320 jobs) from March 2024 to March 2025. Over-the-year job gains were strongest in private education and health services (+1,030 jobs); leisure and hospitality (+910 jobs); the public-sector (+300 jobs); and manufacturing (+280 jobs).

Other notable gains took place in trade, transportation, and utilities (+190 jobs) with most gains taking place in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+130 jobs); and mining, logging, and construction (+150 jobs). Over-the-year losses occurred within financial activities (-140 jobs), information (-10 jobs), and other services (-10 jobs). 

Jefferson County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged in March, holding steady at 4.6%. Last year the unemployment rate was slightly lower at 4.5% in March. Shortly before the first impacts from COVID-19 were felt the rate was 4.3%. 

Total nonfarm employment increased by 40 jobs in March (+0.6%), with small gains observed in manufacturing; trade, transportation, and utilities; information; professional and business services; leisure and hospitality; and other services—each sector adding 10 jobs over the month. Job losses were also minimal and concentrated within local government (-20 jobs). 

Jefferson County's total nonfarm employment rose by 120 jobs over the past year (+1.8%). Job gains occurred in the public sector (+100 jobs) and manufacturing (+100 jobs). Public-sector growth was primarily driven by local tribal employment (+70 jobs). Job losses were more widespread but smaller in magnitude, with losses in trade, transportation, and utilities (-30 jobs); other services (-20 jobs); and additional minor losses in private education and health services, financial activities, and leisure and hospitality (-10 jobs each). 

Next Press Releases 

The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the April county and metropolitan area unemployment rates and employment survey data on Tuesday, May 20, and the statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for April on Wednesday, May 14.