The Research & Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported today that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged from February to March at 2.8%. Wyoming’s unemployment rate was slightly lower than its March 2023 level of 3.0% and much lower than the current U.S. unemployment rate of 3.8%.
From February to March, most county unemployment rates followed their normal seasonal pattern and decreased slightly. Unemployment rates often fall in March as warmer weather brings seasonal job gains in construction, professional & business services, and government. The largest unemployment rate decreases occurred in Washakie (down from 4.5% to 4.1%), Sweetwater (down from 4.2% to 3.8%), Sheridan (down from 3.5% to 3.1%), Hot Springs (down from 3.6% to 3.2%), Goshen (down from 3.2% to 2.8%), and Fremont (down from 4.2% to 3.8%) counties.
From March 2023 to March 2024, unemployment rates fell in most counties, suggesting a tightening in the state’s labor market. The largest decreases occurred in Washakie (down from 5.0% to 4.1%) and Platte (down from 3.6% to 3.0%) counties. Jobless rates rose slightly in Big Horn (up from 4.2% to 4.4%) and Weston (up from 2.3% to 2.5%) counties.
In March, the highest unemployment rates were found in Big Horn County at 4.4% and Sublette and Washakie counties, each at 4.1%. The lowest unemployment rates were reported in Teton County at 2.1%, Weston County at 2.5%, and Niobrara County at 2.7%.
Current Employment Statistics (CES) estimates show that total nonfarm employment in Wyoming (not seasonally adjusted and measured by place of work) rose from 284,300 in March 2023 to 287,000 in March 2024, an increase of 2,700 jobs (0.9%).
April unemployment data will be released on May 20, 2024.
Wyoming Seasonally Adjusted Statewide Labor Force Estimates
Change
Month Year
March-24 February-24 March-23 absolute percent absolute percent
Total Civilian Labor Force 292,994 293,402 295,555 -408 -0.1% -2,561 -0.9%
Employed 284,700 285,045 286,789 -345 -0.1% -2,089 -0.7%
Unemployed 8,294 8,357 8,766 -63 -0.8% -472 -5.4%
Unemployment Rate 2.8 2.8 3.0
| Definitions: | |
| Employed | All persons who, during the reference week, did any work at all as paid employees, worked in their own business, profession, or on their own farm, or worked 15 hours or more as unpaid workers in a family business. |
| Unemployed | All persons who had no employment during the reference week, were available for work, and had made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the 4-week period ending with the reference week. |
| Labor Force | All persons who meet the criteria given above as either employed or unemployed. |
| Unemployment Rate | The number of unemployed as a percent of the labor force. |
| Seasonal Adjustment | A statistical procedure to remove the impact of normal regularly recurring events (such as weather, major holidays, and the opening and closing of schools) from economic time series to better understand changes in economic conditions from month to month. |
Not seasonally adjusted data reflect the actual economic conditions in a given area for a given time period. These data show the normal seasonal changes that occur in the economy. Most county unemployment rates are higher in the winter months because of seasonal job losses in construction, leisure & hospitality, and many other sectors. Similarly, most county unemployment rates are lower in the summer months as employment increases across the economy. Data users should use caution when comparing not seasonally adjusted data for different months, as at least part of the difference between months may reflect normal seasonal patterns.
In contrast, seasonally adjusted data have been subjected to a statistical procedure to remove the effects of normal changes that occur in the economy each year, such as seasonal hiring in the construction sector, the opening and closing of schools, and holiday hiring by retail trade establishments. There is no expectation that seasonally adjusted unemployment rates will be higher or lower in any particular month, except as the economy expands or contracts. The value of seasonally adjusted data is that it is easy to identify longer-term trends in the data and valid comparisons can be made between any two months in the series.
Research & Planning works in cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics to develop and publish unemployment rates for each county in Wyoming. However, these data are not seasonally adjusted and therefore reflect seasonal changes each month.
Table 1: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment
rates ranked from lowest to highest for March 2024
County Rate*
Teton County, WY 2.1
Weston County, WY 2.5
Niobrara County, WY 2.7
Converse County, WY 2.8
Goshen County, WY 2.8
Albany County, WY 2.9
Crook County, WY 2.9
Platte County, WY 3.0
Campbell County, WY 3.1
Sheridan County, WY 3.1
Hot Springs County, WY 3.2
Wyoming 3.3
Laramie County, WY 3.4
Carbon County, WY 3.5
Johnson County, WY 3.5
Lincoln County, WY 3.5
Natrona County, WY 3.6
Fremont County, WY 3.8
Park County, WY 3.8
Sweetwater County, WY 3.8
Uinta County, WY 3.8
Sublette County, WY 4.1
Washakie County, WY 4.1
Big Horn County, WY 4.4
*preliminary
Table 2: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-month rate
changes ranked from lowest to highest for March 2024
Month ago Over-the-Month
County rate Rate* Rate Change
Fremont County, WY 4.2 3.8 -0.4
Goshen County, WY 3.2 2.8 -0.4
Hot Springs County, WY 3.6 3.2 -0.4
Sheridan County, WY 3.5 3.1 -0.4
Sweetwater County, WY 4.2 3.8 -0.4
Washakie County, WY 4.5 4.1 -0.4
Campbell County, WY 3.4 3.1 -0.3
Laramie County, WY 3.7 3.4 -0.3
Weston County, WY 2.8 2.5 -0.3
Wyoming 3.6 3.3 -0.3
Carbon County, WY 3.7 3.5 -0.2
Converse County, WY 3.0 2.8 -0.2
Crook County, WY 3.1 2.9 -0.2
Johnson County, WY 3.7 3.5 -0.2
Lincoln County, WY 3.7 3.5 -0.2
Natrona County, WY 3.8 3.6 -0.2
Niobrara County, WY 2.9 2.7 -0.2
Park County, WY 4.0 3.8 -0.2
Platte County, WY 3.2 3.0 -0.2
Albany County, WY 3.0 2.9 -0.1
Sublette County, WY 4.2 4.1 -0.1
Uinta County, WY 3.9 3.8 -0.1
Big Horn County, WY 4.4 4.4 0.0
Teton County, WY 2.1 2.1 0.0
*preliminary
Table 3: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-year
changes ranked from lowest to highest for March 2024
Year ago Over-the-Year
County Rate Rate* Rate Change
Washakie County, WY 5.0 4.1 -0.9
Platte County, WY 3.6 3.0 -0.6
Carbon County, WY 4.0 3.5 -0.5
Fremont County, WY 4.3 3.8 -0.5
Sheridan County, WY 3.6 3.1 -0.5
Sweetwater County, WY 4.3 3.8 -0.5
Natrona County, WY 4.0 3.6 -0.4
Niobrara County, WY 3.0 2.7 -0.3
Wyoming 3.6 3.3 -0.3
Crook County, WY 3.1 2.9 -0.2
Goshen County, WY 3.0 2.8 -0.2
Hot Springs County, WY 3.4 3.2 -0.2
Johnson County, WY 3.7 3.5 -0.2
Lincoln County, WY 3.7 3.5 -0.2
Park County, WY 4.0 3.8 -0.2
Teton County, WY 2.3 2.1 -0.2
Albany County, WY 3.0 2.9 -0.1
Laramie County, WY 3.5 3.4 -0.1
Campbell County, WY 3.1 3.1 0.0
Converse County, WY 2.8 2.8 0.0
Sublette County, WY 4.1 4.1 0.0
Uinta County, WY 3.8 3.8 0.0
Big Horn County, WY 4.2 4.4 0.2
Weston County, WY 2.3 2.5 0.2
*preliminary
|
Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Research & Planning April 22, 2024 Contacts: David Bullard, Senior Economist, 307-473-3810 Carola Cowan, BLS Programs Supervisor, 307-473-3804 |