Oregon and High Desert’s jobless rates don’t budge as 2023 begins

All the January rates are above U.S. unemployment figure of 3.4%, lowest in over half-century

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- In a start-of-year rarity, the Oregon Employment Department released both state and Central Oregon January unemployment rates on Tuesday -- and despite annual data revisions, all show little if any movement, even as the U.S. jobless rate dropped to an over 50-year low.

First, the Central Oregon picture:

January job losses were concentrated in retail trade and professional and business services. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates were little changed for Central Oregon in January.

Crook County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point in January to 6.1%. The unemployment rate is 1.4 percentage points above the record low set before the pandemic when it was 4.7%.

Crook County cut 90 nonfarm jobs in January, falling to 7,170. Employment levels in Crook County are up 12.7% from pre-pandemic levels (+840 jobs).

The county added 240 jobs in the last year (+3.5%). 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 information (+180 jobs), manufacturing (+50), education and health services (+50), and professional and business services (+40).

Deschutes County (Bend-Redmond MSA): The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 4.4% in January from a revised 4.4% in December. The unemployment rate in January remains 1.1 percentage points above its record low of 3.3% before the onset of the pandemic.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that Deschutes County lost 920 jobs in January, falling to 90,430. Retail trade cut 420 jobs in January, dropping its total to 11,400. Professional and business services lost 200 jobs, falling to 11,190, and mining, logging and construction shed 170, cutting its total to 8,050.

Private education and health services rose by 70 jobs to 15,480 and leisure and hospitality increased its total by 50 to reach 13,470. Local government education cut 130 jobs in January, falling to 4,350. January seasonally adjusted employment exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 3,570 jobs or 4.0%.

Total nonfarm employment expanded by 3.8% (+3,310 jobs) from January 2022. Leisure and hospitality led private industry with an over-the-year gain of 1,360 jobs (+11.2%). Professional and business services also expanded, adding 640 jobs (+6.1%). Education and health services also rose by 590 jobs (+4.0%). Retail trade cut 100 jobs (-0.9%), falling to 11,400.

Jefferson County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 5.9% in January. The unemployment rate was 4.4% in January 2019 through January 2020, before the first impacts from COVID-19.

Total nonfarm employment rose by 20 in January, with government climbing by 40 and private industry shedding 20 jobs. Manufacturing (-10), wholesale trade (-10), and leisure and hospitality (-10) cut jobs in January. Jefferson County has risen 70 jobs above its pre-pandemic employment level (+1.0%).

Jefferson County’s total nonfarm employment grew by 220 jobs over the past year (+4.2%). Job gains were concentrated in manufacturing (+80 jobs), leisure and hospitality (+60 jobs), and education and health services (+40). Indian tribal government rose by 40 in January to reach 770.

Next Press Releases

The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the February county and metropolitan area unemployment rates on Tuesday, March 28 and the statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for February on Tuesday, March 21.

And now, the state picture:

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.8% in January, matching Oregon’s revised 4.8% unemployment rates for October, November, and December 2022.

The last time Oregon’s unemployment rate was more than 4.8% was in July 2021, when the rate was 5.1%. In January, the U.S. unemployment rate was 3.4%, its lowest level in more than 50 years.

Annual revisions to the data, released this month, indicate that Oregon’s unemployment rate was higher than originally estimated last year, and payroll employment growth was slightly slower. 

In Oregon, nonfarm payroll employment rose by 9,900 jobs in January, following a gain of 5,600 jobs in December. Monthly job gains in 2022 averaged 5,600. The gains in January were largest in health care and social assistance (+2,200 jobs); professional and business services (+1,800); and leisure and hospitality (+1,400). The only major industry with a job loss in January was private educational services (-600). 

Health care and social assistance expanded its workforce rapidly during July 2022 through January 2023. During that time, it added 4,500 jobs, to reach a total of 271,800 jobs. Prior to that there had been little net job change compared with early 2021. Over the most recent 12 months, social assistance was the component industry that grew the most, adding 5,000 jobs since January 2022. 

Professional and business services continued its rapid expansion of the past more than two years. It added 13,000 jobs, or 5.0%, since January 2022. Job gains in this broad industry—that makes up 14% of Oregon’s total nonfarm payroll jobs—have been relentless and consistent throughout 2021 and 2022. 

Leisure and hospitality rose in January, consistent with its steady expansion and partial recovery from the recession of nearly three years ago. It added 12,500 jobs, or 6.5%, in the 12 months to January. Despite these gains, it is still 10,600 jobs below its pre-recession peak reached in February 2020. 

Private educational services slipped to 34,800 jobs in January, following stability since May 2022. 

Next Press Releases 

The Oregon Employment Department released the January county and metropolitan area unemployment rates today at 10 am, concurrently with the release of the January statewide data. The Department plans to release the next statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for February on Tuesday, March 21.