The Research & Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported today that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell from 3.3% in July to 3.2% in August. Wyoming’s unemployment rate is slightly lower than its August 2024 level of 3.4% and much lower than the current U.S. rate of 4.3%.
From July to August, most county unemployment rates changed very little. Unemployment rates fell in Sweetwater (down from 3.5% to 3.1%), Fremont (down from 3.5% to 3.1%), and Campbell (down from 2.9% to 2.5%) counties, while unemployment rates rose in Platte (up from 3.3% to 3.7%) and Goshen (up from 2.9% to 3.2%) counties.
From August 2024 to August 2025, unemployment rates fell in 20 counties, rose in two counties, and remained unchanged in Uinta County (3.1%). The largest decreases occurred in Johnson (down from 2.9% to 2.1%), Weston (down from 3.0% to 2.4%), and Lincoln (down from 2.7% to 2.1%) counties. The two areas where unemployment rates increased were Hot Springs County (up from 2.8% to 3.0%) and Niobrara County (up from 3.2% to 3.4%).
In August, the highest unemployment rates were found in Platte County at 3.7%, Big Horn County at 3.5%, and Niobrara County at 3.4%. The lowest rates were reported in Teton County at 1.5%, Lincoln County at 2.1%, and Johnson County at 2.1%.
Current Employment Statistics (CES) estimates show that total nonfarm employment in Wyoming (not seasonally adjusted and measured by place of work) rose from 300,900 in August 2024 to 302,100 in August 2025, an increase of 1,200 jobs (0.4%).
September unemployment data will be published on October 22, 2025.
Wyoming Seasonally Adjusted Statewide Labor Force Estimates Change Month Year August-25 July-25 August-24 absolute percent absolute percent Total Civilian Labor Force 290,474 291,172 297,176 -698 -0.2% -6,702 -2.3% Employed 281,090 281,624 287,142 -534 -0.2% -6,052 -2.1% Unemployed 9,384 9,548 10,034 -164 -1.7% -650 -6.5% Unemployment Rate 3.2 3.3 3.4
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 August 2025 County Rate* Teton County, WY 1.5 Johnson County, WY 2.1 Lincoln County, WY 2.1 Albany County, WY 2.2 Crook County, WY 2.3 Weston County, WY 2.4 Campbell County, WY 2.5 Park County, WY 2.5 Sheridan County, WY 2.5 Sublette County, WY 2.5 Converse County, WY 2.7 Wyoming 2.7 Natrona County, WY 2.8 Laramie County, WY 2.9 Hot Springs County, WY 3.0 Washakie County, WY 3.0 Carbon County, WY 3.1 Fremont County, WY 3.1 Sweetwater County, WY 3.1 Uinta County, WY 3.1 Goshen County, WY 3.2 Niobrara County, WY 3.4 Big Horn County, WY 3.5 Platte County, WY 3.7 *preliminary
Table 2: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-month rate changes ranked from lowest to highest for August 2025 Month ago Over-the-Month County rate Rate* Rate Change Campbell County, WY 2.9 2.5 -0.4 Fremont County, WY 3.5 3.1 -0.4 Sweetwater County, WY 3.5 3.1 -0.4 Albany County, WY 2.5 2.2 -0.3 Carbon County, WY 3.3 3.1 -0.2 Converse County, WY 2.9 2.7 -0.2 Big Horn County, WY 3.6 3.5 -0.1 Johnson County, WY 2.2 2.1 -0.1 Lincoln County, WY 2.2 2.1 -0.1 Natrona County, WY 2.9 2.8 -0.1 Park County, WY 2.6 2.5 -0.1 Uinta County, WY 3.2 3.1 -0.1 Wyoming 2.8 2.7 -0.1 Sheridan County, WY 2.5 2.5 0.0 Sublette County, WY 2.5 2.5 0.0 Washakie County, WY 3.0 3.0 0.0 Weston County, WY 2.4 2.4 0.0 Laramie County, WY 2.8 2.9 0.1 Niobrara County, WY 3.3 3.4 0.1 Teton County, WY 1.4 1.5 0.1 Crook County, WY 2.1 2.3 0.2 Hot Springs County, WY 2.8 3.0 0.2 Goshen County, WY 2.9 3.2 0.3 Platte County, WY 3.3 3.7 0.4 *preliminary
Table 3: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-year changes ranked from lowest to highest for August 2025 Year ago Over-the-Year County Rate Rate* Rate Change Johnson County, WY 2.9 2.1 -0.8 Lincoln County, WY 2.7 2.1 -0.6 Weston County, WY 3.0 2.4 -0.6 Campbell County, WY 3.0 2.5 -0.5 Fremont County, WY 3.6 3.1 -0.5 Goshen County, WY 3.7 3.2 -0.5 Laramie County, WY 3.4 2.9 -0.5 Sheridan County, WY 3.0 2.5 -0.5 Albany County, WY 2.6 2.2 -0.4 Converse County, WY 3.1 2.7 -0.4 Natrona County, WY 3.2 2.8 -0.4 Park County, WY 2.9 2.5 -0.4 Wyoming 3.1 2.7 -0.4 Carbon County, WY 3.4 3.1 -0.3 Platte County, WY 4.0 3.7 -0.3 Sublette County, WY 2.8 2.5 -0.3 Sweetwater County, WY 3.4 3.1 -0.3 Teton County, WY 1.8 1.5 -0.3 Big Horn County, WY 3.7 3.5 -0.2 Washakie County, WY 3.2 3.0 -0.2 Crook County, WY 2.4 2.3 -0.1 Uinta County, WY 3.1 3.1 0.0 Hot Springs County, WY 2.8 3.0 0.2 Niobrara County, WY 3.2 3.4 0.2 *preliminary
Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Research & Planning September 22, 2025 Contacts: David Bullard, Senior Economist, 307-473-3810 Carola Cowan, BLS Programs Supervisor, 307-473-3804 |