Oregon's Over-the-Year Job Growth Among Highest

Oregon gained more than 55,000 jobs between February 2015 and February 2016, growth of 3.1 percent. Only Idaho (4.0%)  and Utah (3.3%) saw jobs grow more quickly during this period. Washington state and Tennessee also grew at 3.1 percent.

States that lost jobs over the year included North Dakota (-4.9%), Wyoming (-3.0%), and West Virginia (-1.5%). These states have a larges share of jobs in the mining industry, which has lost 171,000 jobs nationally since 2014.

Oregon's growth continued in several of the major industries that have expanded the fastest over the year. Construction gained 4,200, or 5.1 percent, since February 2015, professional and business services added 11,700, and health care and social assistance added 9,200 over the year.

Oregon's Unemployment Rate Down Significantly 

The unemployment rate in Oregon dropped from 5.8 percent in February 2015 to 4.8 percent in February 2016. This drop was the 10th largest drop among states across the nation during this time period.

Currently, Oregon's unemployment rate is the 23rd lowest in the nation. Oregon has a lower unemployment rate than California (5.5%), Nevada (5.9%), and Washington (5.8%), but a higher unemployment rate than Idaho (3.9%).

You can view the unemployment rate for all states in our State Unemployment Ranking Tool.