The employment situation across Central Oregon generally improved in March.
Unemployment rates changed little, and hiring stayed near or above seasonal norms.
Crook County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was essentially unchanged in March at 6.1 percent, compared with 6.2 percent in February, and 6.0 percent in March 2017. Crook County businesses added 100 jobs this March. Construction showed the largest gain, with an increase of 30 jobs.
Employment levels dropped a modest 70 jobs from this time last year (‐1.2%). Crook County was only one of five Oregon counties to post job losses over the past year. Much of the decline in total nonfarm employment occurred in government. Private‐sector industries added 130 jobs over the year, while government lost 200 jobs. The growth in health care
over the year largely reflected the change of counting home health care workers in private health care rather than state government. Even excluding that change, all levels of government still cut payroll jobs over the year.
Deschutes County (Bend‐Redmond MSA): The unemployment rate remained at 4.2 percent in March. The rate increased slightly from 3.7 percent in March 2017.
Deschutes County added 940 jobs in March, more than typically expected this time of year. March marked the 19th consecutive month of seasonally adjusted job gains in the Bend metropolitan area.
Payroll employment growth remained significantly higher over the year, with businesses adding around 3,210 jobs (+4.1%). The rate of job growth has hovered around 3 to 4 percent for most of the past year. We continue to see hiring from all private industry sectors. Construction growth continued its strong trend, leading all sectors and adding 790
jobs (+13.2%) over the year. Growth in health care has been largely inflated by a change in home health care workers being counted in private health care. Until 2018, these workers were counted in state government.
Jefferson County: The unemployment rate was unchanged over the past year. The rate of 5.6 percent in March matched the rate posted this time last year, and was essentially unchanged from 5.7 percent this February.
Jefferson County added 40 jobs this March, which was close to what would typically be expected this time of year.
Payroll employment levels grew by 140 jobs (+2.3%) over the year. Job growth was fairly diverse with moderate gains in a variety of industries, but relatively strong growth in manufacturing (+60 jobs). Growth in health care has largely been inflated by home health care workers being reported in private health care beginning in 2018. Previously these
workers were counted in state government.
The Oregon Employment Department and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) work cooperatively to develop and publish monthly payroll employment and labor force data for Oregon’s metropolitan areas and counties. The estimates of monthly job gains and losses are based on a survey of businesses. The estimates of unemployment are based on a survey of households and other sources.
The Oregon Employment Department payroll employment estimates are revised quarterly using information from unemployment insurance tax records. All department publications use data from this official Oregon series unless noted.
The department also makes the BLS‐produced nonfarm payroll employment series for metropolitan areas available. These are revised annually by BLS.
