Oregon Businesses Adding Jobs Faster than Government

Oregon has been adding jobs at a faster rate than the nation since 2013. The growth has been across a wide range of industries paying low-, middle-, and high-wages. The fastest growing industry over the last three years was construction, which added 16,400 jobs for an annual growth rate equivalent to 6.9 percent. The only major industry that hasn’t grown much in the last three years is mining and logging, which added just 100 jobs for an annual growth rate of just 0.4 percent.

The government sector covers jobs in federal, state, and local government. This includes public schools and hospitals. Government job growth in Oregon over the last three years has been driven by the recovery of government budgets following the end of the recession; growth in Oregon’s population; and an increase in the number of home care workers.

The number of home care workers has grown rapidly since 2013, adding about 4,300 jobs for an annual growth rate of 10.5 percent. Home care workers account for one out of four jobs added to Oregon’s government sector during the last three years. In other states, home care workers are counted in private sector health care and social assistance, even when those jobs are funded through Medicaid. 

Read more about job growth in Oregon in the full article written by State Employment Economist Nick Beleiciks.