Oregon’s unemployment rate remained flat in January at 4.8%, according to job numbers released Tuesday by the state’s Employment Department.
The last time Oregon’s jobless rate exceeded that mark was in July 2021 at 5.1%.
State economist Gail Krumenauer offered some context.
“Oregon’s unemployment rate rose by a full percentage point over the past year,” she said. “Despite that uptick in unemployment, we’ve still seen strong job gains. Oregon employers added nearly 71,000 jobs to non-farm payrolls over the past year.”
The health care sector saw the largest job gains in January. In this file photo, a staff member tries to move a cart and patient out of the way to make space for a new patient to be brought in at the Salem Health emergency department in Salem, Oregon, Jan. 27, 2022.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
The largest job gains in January occurred in health care and social assistance, followed by professional and business services. The only major industry with a job loss in January was private educational services.
Meanwhile, the U.S. unemployment rate in January was 3.4%, its lowest level in more than 50 years.
The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the next statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for February on Tuesday, March 21.
To file a claim for unemployment benefits or get more information about unemployment programs, visit OED Unemployment | Unemployment Information (oregon.gov)