The Research & Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported today that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged from February to March at 3.6%. Wyoming’s unemployment rate was higher than its year-ago level of 3.2%, but lower than the current U.S. unemployment rate of 4.3%.
From February to March, most county unemployment rates followed their normal seasonal pattern and fell slightly. County unemployment rates often fall in March as warmer weather brings seasonal job gains in construction, professional & business services, and government. The largest unemployment rate decreases occurred in Fremont (down from 5.7% to 4.6%), Big Horn (down from 5.6% to 4.6%), and Carbon (down from 5.2% to 4.4%) counties. Unemployment rose slightly in Hot Springs County (up from 4.1% to 4.3%).
Compared to a year earlier, jobless rates rose in 15 counties, fell in seven counties, and held steady in Park County. The largest increases were reported in Niobrara (up from 4.4% to 5.4%), Sweetwater (up from 4.0% to 4.6%), and Hot Springs (up from 3.8% to 4.3%) counties. Unemployment rates fell in Washakie (down from 3.8% to 3.4%), Campbell (down from 3.7% to 3.4%), and Weston (down from 3.6% to 3.3%) counties.
In March 2026, the highest unemployment rates were found in Niobrara County at 5.4% and Sweetwater, Platte, Park, Fremont, and Big Horn counties, each at 4.6%. The lowest unemployment rates occurred in Albany and Teton counties, each at 2.7%.
Current Employment Statistics (CES) estimates show that total nonfarm employment in Wyoming (not seasonally adjusted and measured by place of work) rose from 288,200 in March 2025 to 289,600 in March 2026, an increase of 1,400 jobs (0.5%).
April unemployment data will be published on May 26, 2026.
Wyoming Seasonally Adjusted Statewide Labor Force Estimates
Change
Month Year
March-26 February-26 March-25 absolute percent absolute percent
Total Civilian Labor Force 287,990 288,501 289,805 -511 -0.2% -1,815 -0.6%
Employed 277,695 278,088 280,482 -393 -0.1% -2,787 -1.0%
Unemployed 10,295 10,413 9,323 -118 -1.1% 972 10.4%
Unemployment Rate 3.6 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 March 2026
County Rate*
Albany County, WY 2.7
Teton County, WY 2.7
Weston County, WY 3.3
Campbell County, WY 3.4
Converse County, WY 3.4
Crook County, WY 3.4
Johnson County, WY 3.4
Washakie County, WY 3.4
Goshen County, WY 3.5
Sheridan County, WY 3.5
Laramie County, WY 3.7
Lincoln County, WY 3.7
Natrona County, WY 3.8
Uinta County, WY 3.8
Wyoming 3.8
Hot Springs County, WY 4.3
Sublette County, WY 4.3
Carbon County, WY 4.4
Big Horn County, WY 4.6
Fremont County, WY 4.6
Park County, WY 4.6
Platte County, WY 4.6
Sweetwater County, WY 4.6
Niobrara County, WY 5.4
*preliminary
Table 2: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-month
rate changes ranked from lowest to highest March 2026
Month ago Over-the-Month
County Rate Rate* Rate Change
Fremont County, WY 5.7 4.6 -1.1
Big Horn County, WY 5.6 4.6 -1.0
Carbon County, WY 5.2 4.4 -0.8
Platte County, WY 5.3 4.6 -0.7
Sweetwater County, WY 5.3 4.6 -0.7
Weston County, WY 4.0 3.3 -0.7
Albany County, WY 3.3 2.7 -0.6
Crook County, WY 4.0 3.4 -0.6
Goshen County, WY 4.1 3.5 -0.6
Johnson County, WY 4.0 3.4 -0.6
Uinta County, WY 4.4 3.8 -0.6
Washakie County, WY 4.0 3.4 -0.6
Campbell County, WY 3.9 3.4 -0.5
Laramie County, WY 4.2 3.7 -0.5
Natrona County, WY 4.3 3.8 -0.5
Sheridan County, WY 4.0 3.5 -0.5
Wyoming 4.3 3.8 -0.5
Converse County, WY 3.8 3.4 -0.4
Lincoln County, WY 4.1 3.7 -0.4
Park County, WY 4.9 4.6 -0.3
Niobrara County, WY 5.5 5.4 -0.1
Sublette County, WY 4.4 4.3 -0.1
Teton County, WY 2.8 2.7 -0.1
Hot Springs County, WY 4.1 4.3 0.2
*preliminary
Table 3: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-year
changes ranked from lowest to highest for March 2026
Year ago Over-the-Year
County Rate Rate* Rate Change
Washakie County, WY 3.8 3.4 -0.4
Campbell County, WY 3.7 3.4 -0.3
Weston County, WY 3.6 3.3 -0.3
Sheridan County, WY 3.7 3.5 -0.2
Albany County, WY 2.8 2.7 -0.1
Big Horn County, WY 4.7 4.6 -0.1
Crook County, WY 3.5 3.4 -0.1
Park County, WY 4.6 4.6 0.0
Carbon County, WY 4.3 4.4 0.1
Fremont County, WY 4.5 4.6 0.1
Laramie County, WY 3.6 3.7 0.1
Sublette County, WY 4.2 4.3 0.1
Uinta County, WY 3.7 3.8 0.1
Wyoming 3.7 3.8 0.1
Converse County, WY 3.2 3.4 0.2
Lincoln County, WY 3.5 3.7 0.2
Natrona County, WY 3.6 3.8 0.2
Teton County, WY 2.5 2.7 0.2
Goshen County, WY 3.2 3.5 0.3
Johnson County, WY 3.1 3.4 0.3
Platte County, WY 4.3 4.6 0.3
Hot Springs County, WY 3.8 4.3 0.5
Sweetwater County, WY 4.0 4.6 0.6
Niobrara County, WY 4.4 5.4 1.0
*preliminary
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Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Research & Planning May 7, 2026 Contacts: David Bullard, Senior Economist, 307-473-3810 Michael Moore, Research Supervisor, 307-473-3814 |