Despite all of the gloom and doom stories about the local, state and national economies, the unemployment rate for Jefferson County decreased .1 percent to 8 percent from June to July, which is still 1.8 percent greater than July 2007 but down from 2008’s high of 10.6 percent in March.
True, the .1 percent change accounts for just one added job, but a decrease is a decrease — the only positive change in Central Oregon.
Jefferson County’s civilian labor force totals 9,789 workers with 9,007 of them employed and 782 unemployed, according to information released by the Oregon Department of Employment.
Meanwhile, the Bend Metropolitan Service Area, which includes all of Deschutes County, just barely increased — 6.1 to 6.2 percent from June to July (or from 6.5 to 6.8 percent when seasonally adjusted), which is 1.7 percent greater than July 2007 and down from this year’s high of 8.2 percent in February. The county lost 134 jobs over the last month.
Deschutes County’s civilian labor force totaled 87,348, with 81,975 of those workers employed and 5,373 unemployed compared to June when the number of available workers was 85,961 with 80,722 of them employed and 5,239 people without jobs.
In Crook County the unemployment rate jumped .4 percent from June to July to reach 8 percent.
The 7.6 rate in June was the lowest of the year with February being the highest at 10.7 percent. In July, Crook County’s civilian labor force totaled 9,988 workers with 9,193 employed and 795 available workers who were unemployed. The county lost 40 jobs from June to July.
