The Research & Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported today that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged from December to January at 3.9%. Wyoming has recently completed a comprehensive annual revision of its unemployment data. The new data show that Wyoming’s unemployment rate hit a low point of 3.2% in April 2022 and then increased modestly to 3.9% in October 2022. Wyoming’s unemployment rate remained stable at 3.9% from October 2022 to January 2023.
From December to January, county unemployment rates followed their normal seasonal pattern and increased. Unemployment rates usually rise in January because of seasonal job losses in construction, retail trade, professional & business services, and government. The largest unemployment rate increases occurred in Niobrara (up from 3.5% to 4.9%), Fremont (up from 3.9% to 5.2%), Big Horn (up from 4.1% to 5.2%), and Sweetwater (up from 4.2% to 5.3%) counties.
From January 2022 to January 2023, unemployment rates rose in 13 counties, fell in nine counties, and remained unchanged in Crook County (3.6%). The largest increases were seen in Niobrara (up from 3.7% to 4.9%), Platte (up from 3.9% to 4.5%), and Lincoln (up from 3.9% to 4.4%) counties. Unemployment rates fell in Converse (down from 3.9% to 3.3%), Natrona (down from 5.1% to 4.6%), and Campbell (down from 4.4% to 4.0%) counties.
Teton County reported the lowest unemployment rate in January at 2.7%. It was followed by Weston County at 2.9% and Converse County at 3.3%. The highest rates were found in Sweetwater County at 5.3%, Big Horn County at 5.2%, and Fremont County at 5.2%.
Total nonfarm employment in Wyoming (not seasonally adjusted and measured by place of work) rose from 274,200 in January 2022 to 280,900 in January 2023, an increase of 6,700 jobs (2.4%).
Research & Planning has scheduled the February unemployment news release for March 27, 2023.
Wyoming Seasonally Adjusted Statewide Labor Force Estimates
Change
Month Year
January-23 December-22 January-22 absolute percent absolute percent
Total Civilian Labor Force 294,596 293,595 288,078 1,001 0.3% 6,518 2.3%
Employed 283,235 282,247 277,867 988 0.4% 5,368 1.9%
Unemployed 11,361 11,348 10,211 13 0.1% 1,150 11.3%
Unemployment Rate 3.9 3.9 3.5
| 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 January 2023
County Rate*
Teton County, WY 2.7
Weston County, WY 2.9
Converse County, WY 3.3
Hot Springs County, WY 3.5
Crook County, WY 3.6
Goshen County, WY 3.6
Albany County, WY 3.8
Campbell County, WY 4.0
Laramie County, WY 4.2
Johnson County, WY 4.3
Sheridan County, WY 4.3
Wyoming 4.3
Lincoln County, WY 4.4
Platte County, WY 4.5
Uinta County, WY 4.5
Natrona County, WY 4.6
Park County, WY 4.7
Carbon County, WY 4.8
Washakie County, WY 4.8
Niobrara County, WY 4.9
Sublette County, WY 5.1
Big Horn County, WY 5.2
Fremont County, WY 5.2
Sweetwater County, WY 5.3
*preliminary
Table 2: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-month rate
changes ranked from lowest to highest for January 2023
Month ago Over-the-Month
County rate Rate* Rate Change
Teton County, WY 2.5 2.7 0.2
Hot Springs County, WY 3.1 3.5 0.4
Weston County, WY 2.5 2.9 0.4
Converse County, WY 2.8 3.3 0.5
Crook County, WY 3.1 3.6 0.5
Goshen County, WY 3.1 3.6 0.5
Johnson County, WY 3.7 4.3 0.6
Laramie County, WY 3.6 4.2 0.6
Platte County, WY 3.9 4.5 0.6
Albany County, WY 3.1 3.8 0.7
Carbon County, WY 4.1 4.8 0.7
Sheridan County, WY 3.6 4.3 0.7
Uinta County, WY 3.8 4.5 0.7
Wyoming 3.6 4.3 0.7
Campbell County, WY 3.2 4.0 0.8
Natrona County, WY 3.8 4.6 0.8
Park County, WY 3.9 4.7 0.8
Sublette County, WY 4.3 5.1 0.8
Lincoln County, WY 3.5 4.4 0.9
Washakie County, WY 3.9 4.8 0.9
Big Horn County, WY 4.1 5.2 1.1
Sweetwater County, WY 4.2 5.3 1.1
Fremont County, WY 3.9 5.2 1.3
Niobrara County, WY 3.5 4.9 1.4
*preliminary
Table 3: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-year
changes ranked from lowest to highest for January 2023
Year ago Over-the-Year
County Rate Rate* Rate Change
Converse County, WY 3.9 3.3 -0.6
Natrona County, WY 5.1 4.6 -0.5
Campbell County, WY 4.4 4.0 -0.4
Weston County, WY 3.2 2.9 -0.3
Big Horn County, WY 5.3 5.2 -0.1
Hot Springs County, WY 3.6 3.5 -0.1
Johnson County, WY 4.4 4.3 -0.1
Sublette County, WY 5.2 5.1 -0.1
Uinta County, WY 4.6 4.5 -0.1
Crook County, WY 3.6 3.6 0.0
Wyoming 4.3 4.3 0.0
Carbon County, WY 4.7 4.8 0.1
Laramie County, WY 4.1 4.2 0.1
Park County, WY 4.6 4.7 0.1
Sweetwater County, WY 5.2 5.3 0.1
Teton County, WY 2.6 2.7 0.1
Washakie County, WY 4.7 4.8 0.1
Goshen County, WY 3.4 3.6 0.2
Sheridan County, WY 4.1 4.3 0.2
Albany County, WY 3.4 3.8 0.4
Fremont County, WY 4.8 5.2 0.4
Lincoln County, WY 3.9 4.4 0.5
Platte County, WY 3.9 4.5 0.6
Niobrara County, WY 3.7 4.9 1.2
*preliminary
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Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Research & Planning March 14, 2023 Contacts: David Bullard, Senior Economist, 307-473-3810 Carola Cowan, BLS Programs Supervisor, 307-473-3804 |