Oregon is struggling with unemployment, with the last week of August’s claims 12.17% higher than the week before and 30.78% higher than last year, according to WalletHub’s updated rankings for the States Where Unemployment Claims Are Increasing the Most.
Unemployment Situation in Oregon (1=Worst; 25=Avg.):
- Overall Rank for Oregon: 6th
- 12th – Unemployment Claims Increase vs. Previous Week
- 6th – Unemployment Claims Increase vs. Same Week Last Year
- 15th – Cumulative Unemployment Claims in 2025 vs. Same Period Last Year
- 3rd – Unemployment Claims per 100,000 People in Labor Force
To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit: wallethub.com/edu/states-unemployment-claims/72730.
Key takeaways and WalletHub commentary are included below in text and video format. Feel free to use the provided content as is or edit the raw files as you see fit.
Expert Commentary
Do you think the hiring dynamic is currently tilted in favor of employees or employers?
“The dynamic has shifted towards employers when it comes to hiring as employers have slowed their hiring rate significantly, but employers are reluctant to reduce headcount as they recall the challenges of hiring a few years ago.” ~ Daraius Irani, Ph.D. — Vice President, Public and Business Engagement; Chief Economist, Regional Economic Studies Institute (RESI), Towson University
“The hiring dynamic is currently slightly tilted towards the employers. Job creation has slowed down – July payrolls rose just 73k with considerable downward revisions to prior months – and unemployment is steady. Hiring is concentrated in a few areas (notably health care), while most major industries show little change. Openings have drifted down to about 7.4 million positions and the quits rate is back near its 2017–2019 range, signaling less leverage for workers to job-hop.” ~ Haiyong Liu — Professor; Chair, Department of Finance and Economics, Texas State University
Given the current circumstances, what trends do you expect to see in terms of unemployment in the foreseeable future?
“Unemployment might begin to creep up as consumer[s]may cut back their spending or go down market (fast casual to fast food). We are seeing some evidence of consumers slowing down their spending which will have a domino effect across all parts of the US Economy.” ~ Daraius Irani, Ph.D. — Vice President, Public and Business Engagement; Chief Economist, Regional Economic Studies Institute (RESI), Towson University
“I expect unemployment to slightly edge up, not spike in the near future. With openings and hires off their peaks and layoffs still low, we might be experiencing a cooling but still robust labor market.” ~ Haiyong Liu — Professor; Chair, Department of Finance and Economics, Texas State University
With inflation still significant, what is your advice for people looking to protect their finances?
“In today’s environment of elevated inflation and rising inflation expectations, it’s important to hedge against inflation risks. For households that expect to need to liquidate in the short to medium term, consider no-penalty CDs or traditional CDs. The best choice depends on the timing of your liquidity needs. For those who don’t anticipate withdrawing assets soon, allocating savings to ETFs, stocks, or inflation-indexed bonds can provide growth and protection. For households with a higher net worth, real estate can also be an opportunity, but with today’s higher interest rates, price dynamics vary widely by region. For example, what looks attractive in Boston or New York may not hold the same value in Dallas or Miami. Also, if you are on the job market and negotiating salary, make sure that your potential employer is ready to index your compensation at least at the inflation rate in the future.” ~ Vladimir Dashkeev — PhD Economist
“Prioritize paying down variable-rate debt, such as credit card debts; Take advantage of still-elevated risk-free yields (short-term Treasuries/CDs) for emergency funds; Diversify with some inflation-protected assets if available (e.g., TIPS) and avoid over-concentrated speculative investments.” ~ Haiyong Liu — Professor; Chair, Department of Finance and Economics, Texas State University
