The Research & Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported today that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose slightly from 2.9% in July to 3.0% in August. Wyoming’s unemployment rate was slightly higher than its year-ago level of 2.8%, but much lower than the current U.S. unemployment rate of 4.2%.
From July to August, unemployment rates rose in every county. It is somewhat unusual for jobless rates to increase in August. The largest increases occurred in Platte (up from 2.7% to 3.6%), Goshen (up from 2.6% to 3.4%), and Niobrara (up from 1.8% to 2.6%) counties.
From August 2023 to August 2024, unemployment rates increased in every county, perhaps suggesting that economic growth is moderating around the state. The largest increases were found in Goshen (up from 2.2% to 3.4%), Johnson (up from 2.2% to 3.1%), and Platte (up from 2.7% to 3.6%) counties.
Teton County posted the lowest unemployment rate in August at 1.8%. It was followed by Crook County at 2.5%. The highest unemployment rates were found in Big Horn County, Platte County, and Sublette County, each at 3.6%.
Current Employment Statistics (CES) estimates show that total nonfarm employment in Wyoming (not seasonally adjusted and measured by place of work) rose from 297,800 in August 2023 to 299,000 in August 2024, an increase of 1,200 jobs (0.4%).
September unemployment data will be published on October 23, 2024.
Change
Month Year
August-24 July-24 August-23 absolute percent absolute percent
Total Civilian Labor Force 294,877 294,473 295,271 404 0.1% -394 -0.1%
Employed 285,902 285,840 286,930 62 0.0% -1,028 -0.4%
Unemployed 8,975 8,633 8,341 342 4.0% 634 7.6%
Unemployment Rate 3.0 2.9 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 August 2024
County Rate*
Teton County, WY 1.8
Crook County, WY 2.5
Niobrara County, WY 2.6
Weston County, WY 2.6
Converse County, WY 2.7
Park County, WY 2.7
Albany County, WY 2.8
Hot Springs County, WY 2.8
Sheridan County, WY 2.8
Lincoln County, WY 2.9
Campbell County, WY 3.1
Johnson County, WY 3.1
Wyoming 3.1
Carbon County, WY 3.2
Fremont County, WY 3.4
Goshen County, WY 3.4
Laramie County, WY 3.4
Natrona County, WY 3.4
Washakie County, WY 3.4
Sweetwater County, WY 3.5
Uinta County, WY 3.5
Big Horn County, WY 3.6
Platte County, WY 3.6
Sublette County, WY 3.6
*preliminary
Table 2: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-month rate
changes ranked from lowest to highest for August 2024
Month ago Over-the-Month
County rate Rate* Rate Change
Albany County, WY 2.7 2.8 0.1
Converse County, WY 2.6 2.7 0.1
Fremont County, WY 3.3 3.4 0.1
Uinta County, WY 3.4 3.5 0.1
Weston County, WY 2.5 2.6 0.1
Campbell County, WY 2.9 3.1 0.2
Hot Springs County, WY 2.6 2.8 0.2
Sweetwater County, WY 3.3 3.5 0.2
Washakie County, WY 3.2 3.4 0.2
Big Horn County, WY 3.3 3.6 0.3
Laramie County, WY 3.1 3.4 0.3
Natrona County, WY 3.1 3.4 0.3
Park County, WY 2.4 2.7 0.3
Sheridan County, WY 2.5 2.8 0.3
Teton County, WY 1.5 1.8 0.3
Wyoming 2.8 3.1 0.3
Carbon County, WY 2.8 3.2 0.4
Crook County, WY 2.1 2.5 0.4
Lincoln County, WY 2.5 2.9 0.4
Johnson County, WY 2.5 3.1 0.6
Sublette County, WY 2.9 3.6 0.7
Goshen County, WY 2.6 3.4 0.8
Niobrara County, WY 1.8 2.6 0.8
Platte County, WY 2.7 3.6 0.9
*preliminary
Table 3: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-year
changes ranked from lowest to highest for August 2024
Year ago Over-the-Year
County Rate Rate* Rate Change
Hot Springs County, WY 2.5 2.8 0.3
Crook County, WY 2.1 2.5 0.4
Fremont County, WY 3.0 3.4 0.4
Teton County, WY 1.4 1.8 0.4
Niobrara County, WY 2.1 2.6 0.5
Park County, WY 2.2 2.7 0.5
Albany County, WY 2.2 2.8 0.6
Natrona County, WY 2.8 3.4 0.6
Sheridan County, WY 2.2 2.8 0.6
Weston County, WY 2.0 2.6 0.6
Wyoming 2.5 3.1 0.6
Campbell County, WY 2.4 3.1 0.7
Converse County, WY 2.0 2.7 0.7
Lincoln County, WY 2.2 2.9 0.7
Sweetwater County, WY 2.8 3.5 0.7
Uinta County, WY 2.8 3.5 0.7
Washakie County, WY 2.7 3.4 0.7
Big Horn County, WY 2.8 3.6 0.8
Carbon County, WY 2.4 3.2 0.8
Laramie County, WY 2.6 3.4 0.8
Sublette County, WY 2.8 3.6 0.8
Johnson County, WY 2.2 3.1 0.9
Platte County, WY 2.7 3.6 0.9
Goshen County, WY 2.2 3.4 1.2
*preliminary
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Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Research & Planning September 23, 2024 Contacts: David Bullard, Senior Economist, 307-473-3810 Carola Cowan, BLS Programs Supervisor, 307-473-3804 |