The Research & Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported today that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell from 3.0% in July to 2.9% in August. Wyoming’s unemployment rate was much lower than its August 2022 level of 3.7% and lower than the current U.S. unemployment rate of 3.8%.
From July to August, most county unemployment rates remained fairly stable. The largest decreases were seen in Washakie (down from 3.2% to 2.9%), Sweetwater (down from 3.5% to 3.2%), Goshen (down from 2.7% to 2.4%), and Albany (down from 2.8% to 2.5%) counties. Niobrara County’s unemployment rate rose from 1.8% in July to 2.2% in August.
From August 2022 to August 2023, unemployment rates fell in every county, suggesting a continuing tightening in the state’s labor market. The largest decreases occurred in Crook (down from 4.0% to 2.3%), Washakie (down from 3.9% to 2.9%), Niobrara (down from 3.2% to 2.2%), and Carbon (down from 3.6% to 2.6%) counties.
Teton County, at 1.5%, had the lowest unemployment rate in August. It was followed by Converse, Niobrara, and Weston counties, each at 2.2%. The highest unemployment rates were found in Fremont County at 3.3%, and Big Horn and Sweetwater counties, each at 3.2%.
Total nonfarm employment in Wyoming (not seasonally adjusted and measured by place of work) rose from 290,200 in August 2022 to 298,500 in August 2023, an increase of 8,300 jobs (2.9%).
September unemployment data will be released on October 23, 2023.
Wyoming Seasonally Adjusted Statewide Labor Force Estimates
Change
Month Year
August-23 July-23 August-22 absolute percent absolute percent
Total Civilian Labor Force 299,070 299,178 293,347 -108 0.0% 5,723 2.0%
Employed 290,330 290,295 282,507 35 0.0% 7,823 2.8%
Unemployed 8,740 8,883 10,840 -143 -1.6% -2,100 -19.4%
Unemployment Rate 2.9 3.0 3.7
| 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 2023
County Rate*
Teton County, WY 1.5
Converse County, WY 2.2
Niobrara County, WY 2.2
Weston County, WY 2.2
Crook County, WY 2.3
Goshen County, WY 2.4
Lincoln County, WY 2.4
Park County, WY 2.4
Sheridan County, WY 2.4
Albany County, WY 2.5
Johnson County, WY 2.5
Carbon County, WY 2.6
Campbell County, WY 2.7
Hot Springs County, WY 2.7
Wyoming 2.7
Laramie County, WY 2.8
Platte County, WY 2.9
Washakie County, WY 2.9
Natrona County, WY 3.0
Uinta County, WY 3.0
Sublette County, WY 3.1
Big Horn County, WY 3.2
Sweetwater County, WY 3.2
Fremont County, WY 3.3
*preliminary
Table 2: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-month rate
changes ranked from lowest to highest for August 2023
Month ago Over-the-Month
County rate Rate* Rate Change
Albany County, WY 2.8 2.5 -0.3
Goshen County, WY 2.7 2.4 -0.3
Sweetwater County, WY 3.5 3.2 -0.3
Washakie County, WY 3.2 2.9 -0.3
Converse County, WY 2.4 2.2 -0.2
Fremont County, WY 3.5 3.3 -0.2
Carbon County, WY 2.7 2.6 -0.1
Lincoln County, WY 2.5 2.4 -0.1
Natrona County, WY 3.1 3.0 -0.1
Park County, WY 2.5 2.4 -0.1
Uinta County, WY 3.1 3.0 -0.1
Wyoming 2.8 2.7 -0.1
Hot Springs County, WY 2.7 2.7 0.0
Johnson County, WY 2.5 2.5 0.0
Laramie County, WY 2.8 2.8 0.0
Platte County, WY 2.9 2.9 0.0
Sheridan County, WY 2.4 2.4 0.0
Teton County, WY 1.5 1.5 0.0
Campbell County, WY 2.6 2.7 0.1
Sublette County, WY 3.0 3.1 0.1
Weston County, WY 2.1 2.2 0.1
Big Horn County, WY 3.0 3.2 0.2
Crook County, WY 2.1 2.3 0.2
Niobrara County, WY 1.8 2.2 0.4
*preliminary
Table 3: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-year
changes ranked from lowest to highest for August 2023
Year ago Over-the-Year
County Rate Rate* Rate Change
Crook County, WY 4.0 2.3 -1.7
Carbon County, WY 3.6 2.6 -1.0
Niobrara County, WY 3.2 2.2 -1.0
Washakie County, WY 3.9 2.9 -1.0
Natrona County, WY 3.9 3.0 -0.9
Campbell County, WY 3.5 2.7 -0.8
Converse County, WY 3.0 2.2 -0.8
Sweetwater County, WY 4.0 3.2 -0.8
Uinta County, WY 3.8 3.0 -0.8
Albany County, WY 3.2 2.5 -0.7
Big Horn County, WY 3.9 3.2 -0.7
Fremont County, WY 4.0 3.3 -0.7
Laramie County, WY 3.5 2.8 -0.7
Park County, WY 3.1 2.4 -0.7
Platte County, WY 3.6 2.9 -0.7
Sheridan County, WY 3.1 2.4 -0.7
Sublette County, WY 3.8 3.1 -0.7
Wyoming 3.4 2.7 -0.7
Johnson County, WY 3.1 2.5 -0.6
Lincoln County, WY 3.0 2.4 -0.6
Teton County, WY 1.9 1.5 -0.4
Goshen County, WY 2.7 2.4 -0.3
Hot Springs County, WY 3.0 2.7 -0.3
Weston County, WY 2.4 2.2 -0.2
*preliminary
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Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Research & Planning September 20, 2023 Contacts: David Bullard, Senior Economist, 307-473-3810 Carola Cowan, BLS Programs Supervisor, 307-473-3804 |