The Research & Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported today that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose slightly from 2.8% in April to 2.9% in May. Wyoming’s unemployment rate has remained within the narrow range of 2.8% to 3.0% for 15 months. The U.S. unemployment rate of 4.0% in May was much higher than Wyoming’s rate.
From April to May, most unemployment rates increased slightly. This reflects a modest departure from the normal seasonal pattern for May. The largest increases were found in Carbon (up from 2.8% to 3.1%) and Sweetwater (up from 3.0% to 3.3%) counties, while unemployment fell in Washakie (down from 3.2% to 3.0%), Sublette (down from 3.6% to 3.4%), Park (down from 2.9% to 2.7%), Niobrara (down from 2.3% to 2.1%), and Lincoln (down from 3.0% to 2.8%) counties.
From May 2023 to May 2024, unemployment rates rose in 19 counties, remained unchanged in three counties, and fell slightly in Teton County (down from 2.7% to 2.6%). The largest increases occurred in Big Horn (up from 2.8% to 3.4%) and Sublette (up from 2.8% to 3.4%) counties.
The highest unemployment rates in May were found in Big Horn, Sublette, and Uinta counties (each at 3.4%). The lowest unemployment rate was reported in Niobrara County at 2.1%. It was followed by Weston and Crook counties (each at 2.3%).
Current Employment Statistics (CES) estimates show that total nonfarm employment in Wyoming (not seasonally adjusted and measured by place of work) rose from 292,300 in May 2023 to 295,200 in May 2024, an increase of 2,900 jobs (1.0%).
June unemployment data will be released on July 22, 2024.
Wyoming Seasonally Adjusted Statewide Labor Force Estimates
Change
Month Year
May-24 April-24 May-23 absolute percent absolute percent
Total Civilian Labor Force 293,079 293,098 295,556 -19 0.0% -2,477 -0.8%
Employed 284,717 284,892 287,345 -175 -0.1% -2,628 -0.9%
Unemployed 8,362 8,206 8,211 156 1.9% 151 1.8%
Unemployment Rate 2.9 2.8 2.8
| 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 May 2024
County Rate*
Niobrara County, WY 2.1
Crook County, WY 2.3
Weston County, WY 2.3
Converse County, WY 2.5
Albany County, WY 2.6
Goshen County, WY 2.6
Platte County, WY 2.6
Teton County, WY 2.6
Hot Springs County, WY 2.7
Park County, WY 2.7
Sheridan County, WY 2.7
Johnson County, WY 2.8
Lincoln County, WY 2.8
Campbell County, WY 2.9
Wyoming 2.9
Fremont County, WY 3.0
Washakie County, WY 3.0
Carbon County, WY 3.1
Laramie County, WY 3.1
Natrona County, WY 3.1
Sweetwater County, WY 3.3
Big Horn County, WY 3.4
Sublette County, WY 3.4
Uinta County, WY 3.4
*preliminary
Table 2: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-month rate
changes ranked from lowest to highest for May 2024
Month ago Over-the-Month
County rate Rate* Rate Change
Lincoln County, WY 3.0 2.8 -0.2
Niobrara County, WY 2.3 2.1 -0.2
Park County, WY 2.9 2.7 -0.2
Sublette County, WY 3.6 3.4 -0.2
Washakie County, WY 3.2 3.0 -0.2
Fremont County, WY 3.1 3.0 -0.1
Big Horn County, WY 3.4 3.4 0.0
Johnson County, WY 2.8 2.8 0.0
Teton County, WY 2.6 2.6 0.0
Campbell County, WY 2.8 2.9 0.1
Crook County, WY 2.2 2.3 0.1
Goshen County, WY 2.5 2.6 0.1
Hot Springs County, WY 2.6 2.7 0.1
Natrona County, WY 3.0 3.1 0.1
Wyoming 2.8 2.9 0.1
Albany County, WY 2.4 2.6 0.2
Converse County, WY 2.3 2.5 0.2
Laramie County, WY 2.9 3.1 0.2
Platte County, WY 2.4 2.6 0.2
Sheridan County, WY 2.5 2.7 0.2
Uinta County, WY 3.2 3.4 0.2
Weston County, WY 2.1 2.3 0.2
Carbon County, WY 2.8 3.1 0.3
Sweetwater County, WY 3.0 3.3 0.3
*preliminary
Table 3: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-year
changes ranked from lowest to highest for May 2024
Year ago Over-the-Year
County Rate Rate* Rate Change
Teton County, WY 2.7 2.6 -0.1
Fremont County, WY 3.0 3.0 0.0
Platte County, WY 2.6 2.6 0.0
Washakie County, WY 3.0 3.0 0.0
Lincoln County, WY 2.7 2.8 0.1
Niobrara County, WY 2.0 2.1 0.1
Crook County, WY 2.1 2.3 0.2
Sheridan County, WY 2.5 2.7 0.2
Wyoming 2.7 2.9 0.2
Albany County, WY 2.3 2.6 0.3
Converse County, WY 2.2 2.5 0.3
Goshen County, WY 2.3 2.6 0.3
Hot Springs County, WY 2.4 2.7 0.3
Johnson County, WY 2.5 2.8 0.3
Laramie County, WY 2.8 3.1 0.3
Natrona County, WY 2.8 3.1 0.3
Park County, WY 2.4 2.7 0.3
Sweetwater County, WY 3.0 3.3 0.3
Campbell County, WY 2.4 2.9 0.5
Carbon County, WY 2.6 3.1 0.5
Uinta County, WY 2.9 3.4 0.5
Weston County, WY 1.8 2.3 0.5
Big Horn County, WY 2.8 3.4 0.6
Sublette County, WY 2.8 3.4 0.6
*preliminary
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Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Research & Planning June 26, 2024 Contacts: David Bullard, Senior Economist, 307-473-3810 Carola Cowan, BLS Programs Supervisor, 307-473-3804 |