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 January to 3.5% in February. Wyoming’s unemployment rate is considerably higher than its February 2024 level of 2.8%, but lower than the current U.S. rate of 4.1%.
From January to February, most county unemployment rates followed their normal seasonal pattern and decreased. Unemployment rates often fall in February as seasonal job gains occur. The largest unemployment rate decreases occurred in Niobrara (down from 6.1% to 4.8%), Sweetwater (down from 4.9% to 3.9%), and Platte (down from 5.5% to 4.5%) counties. Weston County’s unemployment held steady at 3.9%.
From February 2024 to February 2025, unemployment rates rose in 14 counties, remained unchanged in three counties, and fell in six counties. The largest increases were found in Niobrara (up from 3.6% to 4.8%), Crook (up from 2.9% to 3.7%), and Sublette (up from 3.5% to 4.3%) counties. Unemployment rates fell in Washakie (down from 4.2% to 3.5%), Johnson (down from 3.7% to 3.4%), and Hot Springs (down from 3.7% to 3.4%) counties.
Big Horn County, at 5.0%, had the highest unemployment rate in February. It was followed by Niobrara County at 4.8%, and Park County at 4.7%. The lowest unemployment rates were found in Teton County at 2.2% and Albany County at 2.8%.
Current Employment Statistics (CES) estimates show that total nonfarm employment in Wyoming (not seasonally adjusted and measured by place of work) rose from 286,300 in February 2024 to 291,100 in February 2025, an increase of 4,800 jobs (1.7%).
March unemployment data will be published on April 21, 2025.
Wyoming Seasonally Adjusted Statewide Labor Force Estimates
Change
Month Year
February-25 January-25 February-24 absolute percent absolute percent
Total Civilian Labor Force 296,677 297,532 295,630 -855 -0.3% 1,047 0.4%
Employed 286,294 286,876 287,208 -582 -0.2% -914 -0.3%
Unemployed 10,383 10,656 8,422 -273 -2.6% 1,961 23.3%
Unemployment Rate 3.5 3.6 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 February 2025
County Rate*
Teton County, WY 2.2
Albany County, WY 2.8
Converse County, WY 3.3
Lincoln County, WY 3.3
Hot Springs County, WY 3.4
Johnson County, WY 3.4
Goshen County, WY 3.5
Washakie County, WY 3.5
Natrona County, WY 3.6
Crook County, WY 3.7
Laramie County, WY 3.7
Wyoming 3.7
Campbell County, WY 3.8
Sheridan County, WY 3.9
Sweetwater County, WY 3.9
Weston County, WY 3.9
Uinta County, WY 4.0
Carbon County, WY 4.1
Sublette County, WY 4.3
Platte County, WY 4.5
Fremont County, WY 4.6
Park County, WY 4.7
Niobrara County, WY 4.8
Big Horn County, WY 5.0
*preliminary
Table 2: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-month rate
changes ranked from lowest to highest for February 2025
Month ago Over-the-Month
County rate Rate* Rate Change
Niobrara County, WY 6.1 4.8 -1.3
Platte County, WY 5.5 4.5 -1.0
Sweetwater County, WY 4.9 3.9 -1.0
Albany County, WY 3.7 2.8 -0.9
Carbon County, WY 5.0 4.1 -0.9
Fremont County, WY 5.4 4.6 -0.8
Converse County, WY 4.0 3.3 -0.7
Goshen County, WY 4.2 3.5 -0.7
Laramie County, WY 4.4 3.7 -0.7
Lincoln County, WY 4.0 3.3 -0.7
Natrona County, WY 4.3 3.6 -0.7
Hot Springs County, WY 4.0 3.4 -0.6
Johnson County, WY 4.0 3.4 -0.6
Uinta County, WY 4.6 4.0 -0.6
Wyoming 4.3 3.7 -0.6
Sheridan County, WY 4.4 3.9 -0.5
Teton County, WY 2.7 2.2 -0.5
Washakie County, WY 4.0 3.5 -0.5
Crook County, WY 4.1 3.7 -0.4
Park County, WY 5.1 4.7 -0.4
Sublette County, WY 4.7 4.3 -0.4
Big Horn County, WY 5.3 5.0 -0.3
Campbell County, WY 4.0 3.8 -0.2
Weston County, WY 3.9 3.9 0.0
*preliminary
Table 3: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-year
changes ranked from lowest to highest for February 2025
Year ago Over-the-Year
County Rate Rate* Rate Change
Washakie County, WY 4.2 3.5 -0.7
Hot Springs County, WY 3.7 3.4 -0.3
Johnson County, WY 3.7 3.4 -0.3
Lincoln County, WY 3.5 3.3 -0.2
Albany County, WY 2.9 2.8 -0.1
Sweetwater County, WY 4.0 3.9 -0.1
Converse County, WY 3.3 3.3 0.0
Laramie County, WY 3.7 3.7 0.0
Teton County, WY 2.2 2.2 0.0
Carbon County, WY 4.0 4.1 0.1
Fremont County, WY 4.5 4.6 0.1
Goshen County, WY 3.4 3.5 0.1
Natrona County, WY 3.5 3.6 0.1
Wyoming 3.6 3.7 0.1
Sheridan County, WY 3.7 3.9 0.2
Park County, WY 4.4 4.7 0.3
Uinta County, WY 3.5 4.0 0.5
Big Horn County, WY 4.4 5.0 0.6
Campbell County, WY 3.2 3.8 0.6
Weston County, WY 3.3 3.9 0.6
Platte County, WY 3.8 4.5 0.7
Crook County, WY 2.9 3.7 0.8
Sublette County, WY 3.5 4.3 0.8
Niobrara County, WY 3.6 4.8 1.2
*preliminary
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Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Research & Planning March 31, 2025 Contacts: David Bullard, Senior Economist, 307-473-3810 Carola Cowan, BLS Programs Supervisor, 307-473-3804 |