Wyoming Unemployment Increases to 3.2% in June 2008
Wyoming’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased from 2.9% in May to 3.2% in June. It was just barely higher than its June 2007 level of 3.1% and remained much lower than the current U.S. unemployment rate of 5.5%. The state’s labor force (the sum of employed and unemployed individuals) increased by 2,883 (1.0%) from a year earlier. Wyoming job growth continued at a healthy pace (up 7,700 jobs, or 2.6%, from June 2007). In contrast to job gains in Wyoming, U.S. employment in June fell from its year-ago level (-167,000 jobs, or -0.1%).
From May to June Wyoming added 9,700 jobs (3.3%). This level of increase is consistent with normal seasonal patterns. Seasonal job gains were seen in natural resources & mining (600 jobs, or 2.2%), construction (1,700 jobs, or 5.9%), retail trade (1,100 jobs, or 3.5%), professional & business services (700 jobs, or 3.6%), and leisure & hospitality (4,600 jobs, or 13.7%).
Over the year Wyoming employment increased by 7,700 jobs (2.6%). The largest job growth occurred in construction (2,600 jobs, or 9.3%), government (including public schools, colleges, & hospitals; 2,000 jobs, or 2.9%), leisure & hospitality (700 jobs, or 1.9%), and natural resources & mining (700 jobs, or 2.5%). More modest job gains were seen in educational & health services (600 jobs, or 2.6%), transportation, warehousing, & utilities (500 jobs, or 3.4%), retail trade (300 jobs, or 0.9%), financial activities (300 jobs, or 2.6%), professional & business services (300 jobs, or 1.5%), and wholesale trade (200 jobs, or 2.2%). Employment fell in manufacturing (-400 jobs, or -4.0%) and other services (-100 jobs, or -0.8%) and remained unchanged in the information sector.
County unemployment rates remained low in June. Big Horn County posted the highest unemployment rate (4.3%) followed by Fremont, Goshen, and Platte counties (all 4.0%). The lowest unemployment rates were found in Sublette (1.4%), Teton (1.9%), and Campbell (2.1%) counties.
Last modified on
by April Szuch.
