Oregon Adds 11,000 Jobs in January

In January, Oregon’s nonfarm payroll employment grew by 11,000 jobs, following a revised loss of 1,700 jobs in December. Six industries each added at least 1,000 jobs in January. Strong gains in the goods-producing industries topped the list as manufacturing added 2,500 jobs and construction added 1,800. Four other industries added at least 1,000 jobs: retail trade (+1,600 jobs), professional and business services (+1,400), health care and social assistance (+1,400), and private educational services (+1,000). None of Oregon’s major industries cut a substantial number of jobs in January.

Oregon’s nonfarm payroll employment increased by 28,200 jobs, or 1.5 percent, since January 2018. This growth rate was in line with the most recent eight months in which annual gains averaged 29,000 jobs, but a deceleration from more than 40,000 jobs added during each of the prior five years.

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in January, the same as the revised rates of 4.3 percent for both November and December. Annual revisions to the labor force data show that Oregon’s unemployment rate has ranged between 4.0 percent and 4.3 percent since December 2016, with the low of 4.0 percent occurring in May, June, and July 2018.

Read the full press release here.