The Research & Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported today that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell slightly from 3.5% in February to 3.4% in March. Wyoming’s unemployment rate is higher than its March 2024 level of 2.9%, but lower than the current U.S. rate of 4.2%.
Most county unemployment rates changed very little from February to March. Unemployment fell in 13 counties, rose slightly in seven counties, and remained unchanged in three counties. The largest decreases occurred in Niobrara (down from 4.8% to 4.3%), Platte (down from 4.7% to 4.4%), Park (down from 4.7% to 4.4%), Johnson (down from 3.4% to 3.1%), and Big Horn (down from 5.0% to 4.7%) counties. Unemployment rates increased in Hot Springs (up from 3.4% to 3.8%) and Washakie (up from 3.5% to 3.8%) counties.
From March 2024 to March 2025, jobless rates rose in 17 counties, fell in four counties, and held steady in Lincoln and Teton counties. The largest increases were found in Niobrara (up from 3.3% to 4.3%), Platte (up from 3.6% to 4.4%), and Weston (up from 3.0% to 3.8%) counties. Johnson County’s unemployment rate fell from 3.6% to 3.1%.
Teton County, at 2.3%, had the lowest unemployment rate in March. It was followed by Albany County at 2.8% and Johnson County at 3.1%. The highest unemployment rates were reported in Big Horn County at 4.7% and Fremont County at 4.5%.
Current Employment Statistics (CES) estimates show that total nonfarm employment in Wyoming (not seasonally adjusted and measured by place of work) rose from 287,700 in March 2024 to 291,400 in March 2025, an increase of 3,700 jobs (1.3%).
April unemployment data will be published on May 22, 2025.
Wyoming Seasonally Adjusted Statewide Labor Force Estimates
Change
Month Year
March-25 February-25 March-24 absolute percent absolute percent
Total Civilian Labor Force 295,539 296,656 295,783 -1,117 -0.4% -244 -0.1%
Employed 285,425 286,273 287,195 -848 -0.3% -1,770 -0.6%
Unemployed 10,114 10,383 8,588 -269 -2.6% 1,526 17.8%
Unemployment Rate 3.4 3.5 2.9
| 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 March 2025
County Rate*
Teton County, WY 2.3
Albany County, WY 2.8
Johnson County, WY 3.1
Converse County, WY 3.2
Goshen County, WY 3.3
Lincoln County, WY 3.4
Crook County, WY 3.5
Campbell County, WY 3.7
Laramie County, WY 3.7
Natrona County, WY 3.7
Wyoming 3.7
Hot Springs County, WY 3.8
Sheridan County, WY 3.8
Washakie County, WY 3.8
Weston County, WY 3.8
Uinta County, WY 3.9
Sweetwater County, WY 4.0
Carbon County, WY 4.1
Sublette County, WY 4.1
Niobrara County, WY 4.3
Park County, WY 4.4
Platte County, WY 4.4
Fremont County, WY 4.5
Big Horn County, WY 4.7
*preliminary
Table 2: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-month rate
changes ranked from lowest to highest for March 2025
Month ago Over-the-Month
County rate Rate* Rate Change
Niobrara County, WY 4.8 4.3 -0.5
Big Horn County, WY 5.0 4.7 -0.3
Johnson County, WY 3.4 3.1 -0.3
Park County, WY 4.7 4.4 -0.3
Platte County, WY 4.7 4.4 -0.3
Crook County, WY 3.7 3.5 -0.2
Goshen County, WY 3.5 3.3 -0.2
Sublette County, WY 4.3 4.1 -0.2
Campbell County, WY 3.8 3.7 -0.1
Converse County, WY 3.3 3.2 -0.1
Fremont County, WY 4.6 4.5 -0.1
Sheridan County, WY 3.9 3.8 -0.1
Uinta County, WY 4.0 3.9 -0.1
Albany County, WY 2.8 2.8 0.0
Carbon County, WY 4.1 4.1 0.0
Laramie County, WY 3.7 3.7 0.0
Wyoming 3.7 3.7 0.0
Lincoln County, WY 3.3 3.4 0.1
Natrona County, WY 3.6 3.7 0.1
Sweetwater County, WY 3.9 4.0 0.1
Teton County, WY 2.2 2.3 0.1
Weston County, WY 3.6 3.8 0.2
Washakie County, WY 3.5 3.8 0.3
Hot Springs County, WY 3.4 3.8 0.4
*preliminary
Table 3: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-year
changes ranked from lowest to highest for March 2025
Year ago Over-the-Year
County Rate Rate* Rate Change
Johnson County, WY 3.6 3.1 -0.5
Albany County, WY 2.9 2.8 -0.1
Converse County, WY 3.3 3.2 -0.1
Washakie County, WY 3.9 3.8 -0.1
Lincoln County, WY 3.4 3.4 0.0
Teton County, WY 2.3 2.3 0.0
Big Horn County, WY 4.6 4.7 0.1
Carbon County, WY 4.0 4.1 0.1
Fremont County, WY 4.3 4.5 0.2
Goshen County, WY 3.1 3.3 0.2
Hot Springs County, WY 3.6 3.8 0.2
Laramie County, WY 3.5 3.7 0.2
Park County, WY 4.2 4.4 0.2
Natrona County, WY 3.4 3.7 0.3
Sweetwater County, WY 3.7 4.0 0.3
Wyoming 3.4 3.7 0.3
Sublette County, WY 3.7 4.1 0.4
Sheridan County, WY 3.3 3.8 0.5
Uinta County, WY 3.4 3.9 0.5
Campbell County, WY 3.1 3.7 0.6
Crook County, WY 2.9 3.5 0.6
Platte County, WY 3.6 4.4 0.8
Weston County, WY 3.0 3.8 0.8
Niobrara County, WY 3.3 4.3 1.0
*preliminary
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Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Research & Planning April 21, 2025 Contacts: David Bullard, Senior Economist, 307-473-3810 Carola Cowan, BLS Programs Supervisor, 307-473-3804 |