Unemployment Update: February 2016

Related Article: What Does Wyoming’s Unemployment Rate Really Mean?

by: David Bullard, Senior Economist

Wyoming’s seasonally adjusted¹ unemployment rate increased significantly from 3.8% in February 2015 to 5.0% in February 2016. This was slightly higher than the U.S. unemployment rate of 4.9% in February 2016 (Bullard, 2016).

As shown in the Map, Wyoming was one of only nine states that experienced an increase in its seasonally adjusted unemployment rate from February 2015 to February 2016.

Map

In February 2016, unemployment rates were higher than a year earlier in 21 counties and lower in two counties. The largest over-the-year increases were seen in Natrona (up from 4.2% to 7.2%), Campbell (up from 3.6% to 6.3%), Converse (up from 3.4% to 5.8%), Fremont (up from 5.8% to 8.1%), and Sweetwater (up from 4.5% to 6.0%) counties. Unemployment rates fell in Teton (down from 3.7% to 3.0%) and Albany (down from 3.3% to 3.1%) counties.

The lowest unemployment rates were found in Teton (3.0%), Albany (3.1%), and Niobrara (3.5%) counties. The highest unemployment rates occurred in Fremont (8.1%), Natrona (7.2%), and Johnson (7.0%) counties.

For more information, see http://doe.state.wy.us/LMI/news.htm.

References

Bullard, D. (2016). Wyoming unemployment rate rises to 5.0% in February 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2016, from http://doe.state.wy.us/LMI/news.htm

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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 to better understand changes in economic conditions from month to month.