Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.8 percent in June, an increase from May’s rate of 4.5 percent. One significant factor in the rise of the unemployment rate was a large increase in Oregon’s labor force, which reached an all-time high of 2,053,000. Despite the increase in June, Oregon’s unemployment rate remained significantly lower than the June 2015 rate of 5.8 percent.
Oregon’s 4.8 percent unemployment rate in June remained close to the national unemployment rate of 4.9 percent. Like Oregon, the U.S. rate also increased in June, rising from 4.7 percent in May.
Oregon’s payroll employment added 3,000 jobs in June after a revised gain of 2,500 in May. Private educational services added 1,700 jobs, while professional and business services added 1,400. Meanwhile, several industries each added between 500 and 900: government (+900 jobs), retail trade (+700), construction (+600) and wholesale trade (+500). Leisure and hospitality cut 1,000 jobs in June, while three other industries each cut at least 600 jobs: health care and social assistance (-900 jobs), financial activities (-700) and manufacturing (-600).
Taking a longer-term view, payroll employment grew by 59,500 jobs since June 2015. The resulting over-the-year job growth rate was 3.3 percent in Oregon, much faster than the national job growth rate of 1.7 percent. Oregon’s over-the-year job growth has consistently outpaced the nation since 2013.
