Wyoming Unemployment Rate Increases to 4.5% in March
Wyoming’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased from 3.9% in February to 4.5% in March, its highest level since August 2003. It remained well below the U.S. rate of 8.5%. Job losses in several sectors caused overall job growth (as measured on an over-the-year basis) to decrease to 0.0%, its slowest pace since March 2003.
From February to March, employment decreased by 300 jobs (-0.1%). The normal seasonal pattern is for employment to rise by approximately 2,900 jobs in March. Employment fell in natural resources & mining (-1,000 jobs, or -3.5%), construction (-400 jobs, or -1.6%), and other services (-100 jobs, or -0.8%). Employment increased by 100 jobs in each of the following sectors: wholesale trade (1.1%), retail trade (0.3%) transportation & utilities (0.7%), financial activities (0.9%), professional & business services (0.6%), educational & health services (0.4%), and leisure & hospitality (0.3%). Government (including public schools, colleges, and hospitals) followed its normal seasonal pattern and increased by 500 jobs, or 0.7%.
Over the year Wyoming lost an estimated 100 jobs (0.0%). Job losses in construction (-2,300 jobs, or -8.8%), leisure & hospitality (-500 jobs, or -1.5%), professional & business services (-400 jobs, or -2.3%), other services (-200 jobs, or -1.7%), natural resources & mining (-200 jobs, or -0.7%), and retail trade (-100 jobs, or -0.3%) were nearly offset by job gains in several sectors. Government (including public schools, colleges, & hospitals) added 2,200 jobs (3.2%). Growth was also seen in educational & health services (900 jobs, or 3.7%), wholesale trade (200 jobs, or 2.2%), manufacturing (100 jobs, or 1.0%), transportation & utilities (100 jobs, or 0.7%), and financial activities (100 jobs, or 0.9%).
County unemployment rates increased from February to March. The highest rates were found in Big Horn (8.7%), Lincoln (8.0%), and Fremont (7.0%) counties. Sublette County posted the lowest unemployment rate (3.3%), followed by Albany (3.4%) and Campbell (4.0%) counties.