© Copyright 2007 by the Wyoming Department of Employment, Research & Planning

Covered Employment and Wages for First Quarter 2007: Mining Leads Growth in Total Payroll

Aggregate jobs and payroll grew faster than the five-year average while some declines in employment among subsectors were suggestive of the intensity of intersectoral competition for labor. From first quarter 2006 to first quarter 2007, total Unemployment Insurance (UI) covered payroll grew by $319.4 million or 14.5%, somewhat faster than its five-year average (9.2%). Mining (including oil & gas) was the largest single contributor to the increase in total payroll (accounting for $82.4 million, or over one-quarter of the total increase). UI covered payroll represents approximately 92% of all wage and salary disbursements and 45% of personal income in the state (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2007). Average weekly wage rose by $62 or 9.3%, also faster than its five year average (6.0%). Employment increased by 12,074 jobs or 4.7%.

Employment and total payroll increased in almost all areas of the state. In fact, total payroll increased at double-digit rates in 17 of Wyoming’s 23 counties. As in previous quarters, much of the growth was related to Mining and Construction.

Campbell County’s total payroll increased by $50.1 million or 18.2%. Large job gains were seen in Construction, Retail Trade, Accommodation & Food Services, Transportation & Warehousing, Mining, and Wholesale Trade.

In Sweetwater County, the largest job gains were in Mining, Construction, Administrative & Waste Services, and Other Services. Total payroll grew by $37.2 million or 15.3%.

Natrona County added 1,243 jobs or 3.4% in first quarter. Its total payroll increased by $42.9 million or 12.8%. The largest gains in total payroll in Natrona County were found in Mining, Local Government (including public schools and colleges), Wholesale Trade, Health Care & Social Assistance, and Construction. The job losses in Mining resulted from the reclassification of a large firm to the nonclassified region.

Sublette County’s total payroll rose by $23.3 million or 58.1% and employment grew by 1,032 jobs or 27.0% making it the fastest growing county in the state. Mining (including oil & gas) added over 650 jobs and notable job gains were also seen in Retail Trade, Transportation & Warehousing, and Accommodation & Food Services.

Total payroll in Laramie County increased by $28.1 million or 8.4% and the number of jobs increased by 883 or 2.2%. The largest gains in total payroll occurred in Local Government (including public schools, colleges & hospitals), State Government, Health Care & Social Assistance, and Transportation & Warehousing . Employment fell in a number of sectors, most notably Construction, Finance & Insurance, and Management of Companies & Enterprises. Some workers in these jobs may have relocated to, or begun commuting to work in other counties. Job losses in Construction may be related to the recent completion of construction projects or a slowdown in residential construction.

Carbon County’s total payroll increased by $12.7 million or 25.9% and employment increased by 690 jobs or 10.8%. Substantial job growth appeared in Construction, Local Government (including public schools, colleges & hospitals), Mining (including oil & gas), and Manufacturing.

Employment fell by 412 jobs or 9.4% in Big Horn County, but this was mostly the result of a noneconomic code change. A large firm was reclassified to Sublette County because a majority of its employees were working there. This change also negatively affected total payroll in Big Horn County.

 

Visit our website at http://doe.state.wy.us/LMI/07Q1_QCEW/toc.htm for a complete set of tables.

The Wyoming Covered Employment and Wages news release with 2nd Quarter 2007 data is scheduled to be issued on February 8, 2008.


Wyoming Average Monthly Employment, Total Payroll, and Average Weekly Wage for First Quarter by County, 2006 and 2007

 

Average Monthly Employment Total Wages Average Weekly Wages
First Quarter Change First Quarter Change First Quarter Change
2006 2007 No. % 2006 2007 Number % 2006 2007 No. %
Total 254,303 266,599 12,296 4.8 $2,209,240,361 $2,528,871,913 $319,631,552 14.5 $668 $730 $61 9.2
Albany 15,038 15,222 184 1.2 107,757,643 115,070,553 7,312,910 6.8 551 581 30 5.5
Big Horn 4,396 3,930 -467 -10.6 34,907,496 30,174,556 -4,732,940 -13.6 611 591 -20 -3.3
Campbell 24,450 26,615 2,165 8.9 275,446,564 325,240,554 49,793,990 18.1 867 940 73 8.5
Carbon 6,397 7,100 703 11.0 49,134,525 61,891,720 12,757,195 26.0 591 671 80 13.5
Converse 4,706 4,714 8 0.2 38,321,186 41,867,729 3,546,543 9.3 626 683 57 9.1
Crook 2,143 2,233 89 4.2 15,200,926 17,014,068 1,813,142 11.9 546 586 41 7.4
Fremont 14,945 15,495 551 3.7 109,022,445 121,603,946 12,581,501 11.5 561 604 43 7.6
Goshen 3,993 4,236 243 6.1 24,556,072 27,326,253 2,770,181 11.3 473 496 23 4.9
Hot Springs 1,870 1,947 76 4.1 11,147,041 12,793,430 1,646,389 14.8 458 506 47 10.3
Johnson 3,104 3,232 128 4.1 21,665,793 24,544,720 2,878,927 13.3 537 584 47 8.8
Laramie 40,676 41,593 917 2.3 335,309,384 362,761,840 27,452,456 8.2 634 671 37 5.8
Lincoln 5,758 6,463 705 12.2 47,815,905 61,408,520 13,592,615 28.4 639 731 92 14.4
Natrona 37,032 38,303 1,272 3.4 335,929,016 378,056,577 42,127,561 12.5 698 759 61 8.8
Niobrara 719 816 97 13.4 4,355,900 5,259,877 903,977 20.8 466 496 30 6.4
Park 11,745 11,873 128 1.1 85,370,599 99,165,640 13,795,041 16.2 559 642 83 14.9
Platte 3,281 3,313 32 1.0 22,992,996 25,521,292 2,528,296 11.0 539 593 54 9.9
Sheridan 12,171 12,831 660 5.4 94,313,465 106,136,401 11,822,936 12.5 596 636 40 6.7
Sublette 3,828 4,868 1,041 27.2 40,124,719 63,577,198 23,452,479 58.4 806 1,005 198 24.6
Sweetwater 22,449 24,116 1,667 7.4 243,603,798 282,270,223 38,666,425 15.9 835 900 66 7.9
Teton 16,675 17,307 632 3.8 142,952,396 155,148,270 12,195,874 8.5 659 690 30 4.6
Uinta 9,009 9,391 382 4.2 76,435,740 88,144,080 11,708,340 15.3 653 722 69 10.6
Washakie 3,703 3,775 72 1.9 27,796,296 30,077,995 2,281,699 8.2 577 613 35 6.1
Weston  2,155 2,247 92 4.3 15,288,861 18,023,157 2,734,296 17.9 546 617 71 13.0
Nonclassified 4,061 4,980 919 22.6 49,791,595 75,793,314 26,001,719 52.2 943 1,171 228 24.1

Preliminary

*The employer may be located statewide or in more than one county.

Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, developed through a cooperative program between Research & Planning and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Extract Date: October 2007


Wyoming Department of Employment
Research & Planning

November 8, 2007
Contact: David Bullard, Senior Economist
(307) 473-3810


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