November 2018 Employment and Unemployment in Oregon’s Counties

Benton County had Oregon’s lowest seasonally adjusted unemployment rate at 3.3 percent in November 2018. Other counties with some of the lowest unemployment rates in November included Hood River (3.4%), Washington (3.4%), and Multnomah (3.6%). 

Seven of Oregon’s counties had unemployment rates at or below the statewide unemployment rate of 3.9 percent and four were at or below the national rate of 3.7 percent. Eastern and Southern Oregon had higher unemployment rates in November 2018, which were still close to their record low unemployment rates since 1990. 

Grant County registered the highest unemployment rate for the month at 7.1 percent, which was 1 percentage higher than Grant’s lowest unemployment rate since comparable records began in 1990. Harney County’s unemployment rate improved over the year by 0.7 percentage point, more than any other county.

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose in all six of Oregon’s broad regions between November 2017 and November 2018. The largest job gains occurred in Central Oregon (+2.3%). The Willamette Valley (+1.9%), Southern Oregon (+1.4%), the Portland area (+1.3%), the Oregon Coast (+0.8%), and Eastern Oregon (+0.7%) also added jobs.

Press releases for all Oregon areas are available here.