Modest Job Growth Continues in September 2010
The Research & Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Employment has reported that job growth continued in September as employment increased by 800 jobs (0.3%) from a year earlier. September was the third consecutive month of over-the-year job gains. The state's seasonally adjusted1unemployment rate stood at 6.8% in September, unchanged from August, but down from 7.3% a year earlier. Wyoming's unemployment rate remained significantly lower than the U.S. unemployment rate of 9.6%.
Over the year, Wyoming added 800 jobs (0.3%). Natural resources & mining (including oil & gas) gained 2,500 jobs (10.3%). Employment also increased in government (including public schools, colleges, & hospitals; 700 jobs, or 1.0%), wholesale trade (600 jobs, or 7.1%), educational & health services (500 jobs, or 2.0%), transportation & utilities (400 jobs, or 2.8%), and manufacturing (100 jobs, or 1.1%).
Job losses were seen in retail trade (-1,200 jobs, or -3.9%), construction (-1,000 jobs, or -4.0%), leisure & hospitality (-700 jobs, or -2.0%), and other services (-400 jobs, or -3.4%).
From August to September, employment rose by 1,200 jobs (0.4%). This level of increase is consistent with normal seasonal patterns. Seasonal job gains in government (6,700 jobs, or 10.0%) and natural resources & mining (300 jobs, or 1.1%) were partially offset by seasonal job losses in leisure & hospitality (-3,100 jobs, or -8.1%), professional & business services (-1,200 jobs, or -6.6%), retail trade (-800 jobs, or -2.6%), and construction (-400 jobs, or -1.6%). Seasonal job growth in government was related to the start of the fall semester at public schools and colleges.
Across Wyoming's 23 counties, most unemployment rates followed their normal seasonal pattern and decreased slightly from August to September. The highest unemployment rates were found in Lincoln (7.6%) and Big Horn and Fremont counties (both 7.1%). Sublette County posted the lowest unemployment rate (3.7%), followed by Albany (4.4%) and Crook (4.6%) counties.
1Seasonal adjustment is 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 in order to obtain a better understanding of changes in economic conditions from month to month.