The Research & Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported today that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell slightly from 3.6% in March to 3.5% in April. Wyoming’s unemployment rate was modestly higher than its year-earlier level of 3.2%, but considerably lower than the current U.S. rate of 4.3%.
From March to April, most county unemployment rates followed their normal seasonal pattern and decreased. Jobless rates often fall in April as milder weather brings seasonal job gains in construction, professional & business services, and retail trade. The largest decreases occurred in Hot Springs (down from 4.2% to 2.9%), Park (down from 4.6% to 3.4%), Platte (down from 4.5% to 3.5%), and Carbon (down from 4.4% to 3.4%) counties. Teton County’s unemployment rate rose from 2.7% to 4.1% as the end of the ski season brought seasonal layoffs.
From April 2025 to April 2026, unemployment rates fell in 15 counties, rose in six counties, and remained unchanged in two counties. The largest decreases occurred in Weston (down from 3.0% to 2.6%), Platte (down from 3.9% to 3.5%), and Hot Springs (down from 3.3% to 2.9%) counties. Unemployment rates rose in Niobrara (up from 3.3% to 4.6%), Teton (up from 3.1% to 4.1%), and Johnson (up from 2.4% to 2.7%) counties.
In April, the lowest unemployment rates were reported in Albany and Crook counties, each at 2.5%. The highest rates were found in Niobrara County at 4.6% and Teton County at 4.1%.
Current Employment Statistics (CES) estimates show that total nonfarm employment in Wyoming (not seasonally adjusted and measured by place of work) rose from 290,300 in April 2025 to 291,600 in April 2026, an increase of 1,300 jobs (0.4%).
Wyoming Seasonally Adjusted Statewide Labor Force Estimates
Change
Month Year
April-26 March-26 April-25 absolute percent absolute percent
Total Civilian Labor Force 287,626 287,991 289,328 -365 -0.1% -1,702 -0.6%
Employed 277,565 277,696 280,040 -131 0.0% -2,475 -0.9%
Unemployed 10,061 10,295 9,288 -234 -2.3% 773 8.3%
Unemployment Rate 3.5 3.6 3.2
| 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 April 2026
County Rate*
Albany County, WY 2.5
Crook County, WY 2.5
Weston County, WY 2.6
Goshen County, WY 2.7
Johnson County, WY 2.7
Campbell County, WY 2.8
Converse County, WY 2.8
Sheridan County, WY 2.8
Hot Springs County, WY 2.9
Laramie County, WY 3.0
Lincoln County, WY 3.0
Natrona County, WY 3.0
Wyoming 3.1
Uinta County, WY 3.2
Washakie County, WY 3.2
Carbon County, WY 3.4
Park County, WY 3.4
Platte County, WY 3.5
Sublette County, WY 3.5
Sweetwater County, WY 3.8
Big Horn County, WY 3.9
Fremont County, WY 3.9
Teton County, WY 4.1
Niobrara County, WY 4.6
*preliminary
Table 2: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-month
rate changes ranked from lowest to highest April 2026
Month ago Over-the-Month
County Rate Rate* Rate Change
Hot Springs County, WY 4.2 2.9 -1.3
Park County, WY 4.6 3.4 -1.2
Carbon County, WY 4.4 3.4 -1.0
Platte County, WY 4.5 3.5 -1.0
Crook County, WY 3.4 2.5 -0.9
Sweetwater County, WY 4.7 3.8 -0.9
Goshen County, WY 3.5 2.7 -0.8
Natrona County, WY 3.8 3.0 -0.8
Niobrara County, WY 5.4 4.6 -0.8
Sublette County, WY 4.3 3.5 -0.8
Uinta County, WY 4.0 3.2 -0.8
Big Horn County, WY 4.6 3.9 -0.7
Fremont County, WY 4.6 3.9 -0.7
Laramie County, WY 3.7 3.0 -0.7
Lincoln County, WY 3.7 3.0 -0.7
Sheridan County, WY 3.5 2.8 -0.7
Weston County, WY 3.3 2.6 -0.7
Campbell County, WY 3.4 2.8 -0.6
Converse County, WY 3.4 2.8 -0.6
Johnson County, WY 3.3 2.7 -0.6
Wyoming 3.7 3.1 -0.6
Albany County, WY 2.7 2.5 -0.2
Washakie County, WY 3.4 3.2 -0.2
Teton County, WY 2.7 4.1 1.4
*preliminary
Table 3: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-year
changes ranked from lowest to highest for April 2026
Year ago Over-the-Year
County Rate Rate* Rate Change
Hot Springs County, WY 3.3 2.9 -0.4
Platte County, WY 3.9 3.5 -0.4
Weston County, WY 3.0 2.6 -0.4
Campbell County, WY 3.1 2.8 -0.3
Carbon County, WY 3.7 3.4 -0.3
Goshen County, WY 3.0 2.7 -0.3
Sheridan County, WY 3.1 2.8 -0.3
Washakie County, WY 3.5 3.2 -0.3
Crook County, WY 2.7 2.5 -0.2
Albany County, WY 2.6 2.5 -0.1
Big Horn County, WY 4.0 3.9 -0.1
Laramie County, WY 3.1 3.0 -0.1
Natrona County, WY 3.1 3.0 -0.1
Park County, WY 3.5 3.4 -0.1
Uinta County, WY 3.3 3.2 -0.1
Wyoming 3.2 3.1 -0.1
Converse County, WY 2.8 2.8 0.0
Fremont County, WY 3.9 3.9 0.0
Lincoln County, WY 2.8 3.0 0.2
Sweetwater County, WY 3.6 3.8 0.2
Johnson County, WY 2.4 2.7 0.3
Sublette County, WY 3.2 3.5 0.3
Teton County, WY 3.1 4.1 1.0
Niobrara County, WY 3.3 4.6 1.3
*preliminary
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Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Research & Planning May 26, 2026 Contacts: David Bullard, Senior Economist, 307-473-3810 Michael Moore, Research Supervisor, 307-473-3814 |