Wyoming Unemployment Rate at 4.7% in September 2014

by: David Bullard, Senior Economist

The Research & Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported that the state’s seasonally adjusted¹ unemployment rate rose from 4.6% in August to 4.7% in September (not a statistically significant change). Wyoming’s unemployment rate was up slightly from its September 2013 level of 4.6%, but significantly lower than the current U.S. unemployment rate of 5.9%. Seasonally adjusted employment of Wyoming residents decreased slightly, falling by an estimated 242 individuals (-0.1%).

Most county unemployment rates followed their normal seasonal pattern and decreased from August to September. The largest decreases occurred in Niobrara (down from 4.0% to 3.4%), Albany (down from 4.3% to 3.7%), and Goshen (down from 4.6% to 4.1%) counties. Unemployment increased very slightly in Sublette (up from 2.8% to 2.9%) and Teton (up from 3.0% to 3.1%) counties.

From September 2013 to September 2014, unemployment rates fell in 10 counties, rose slightly in eight counties and were unchanged in five counties. The largest decreases were seen in Johnson (down from 4.5% to 4.1%), Fremont (down from 5.2% to 4.8%), Washakie (down from 4.4% to 4.1%), and Teton (down from 3.4% to 3.1%) counties. Unemployment rose slightly in Weston (up from 3.5% to 4.1%), Albany (up from 3.5% to 3.7%), and Uinta (up from 4.1% to 4.3%) counties.

The counties with the lowest unemployment rates were Sublette (2.9%), Converse (3.0%), Campbell (3.0%), and Teton (3.1%). The highest unemployment rates were found in Fremont (4.8%), Lincoln (4.5%), and Laramie (4.4%) counties.

Total nonfarm employment (measured by place of work) rose from 296,300 in September 2013 to 302,000 in September 2014, a gain of 5,700 jobs (1.9%).

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.