Oregon gains 1.500 jobs in August

Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment gained 1,500 jobs in August, following a revised increase of 6,800 jobs in July, according to the Oregon Employment Department.

There were 2,117,975 employed and 90,232 unemployed in August in Oregon, according to the state employment department report.

Gains and losses

August’s gains were largest in private educational services (+2,000 jobs) and health care and social assistance (+1,200). Declines in August were largest in leisure and hospitality (-1,700 jobs) and government (-800).

Health care and social assistance expanded rapidly, adding 1,200 jobs in August and 16,100 jobs over the past 12 months. Social assistance grew by 8,100 jobs, or 11.0%, in 12 months. Meanwhile, the health-care component industries each added more than 2,000 jobs since August 2023: nursing and residential care facilities (+3,400 jobs, or 6.3%); ambulatory health care services (+3,300 jobs, or 3.3%); and hospitals (+2,300 jobs, or 3.9%).

Government cut 800 jobs over the month in August, but added 6,000 jobs, or 1.9%, since August 2023. In the past 12 months each of its three components grew: local government (+3,700 jobs, or 1.6%), state government (+1,400 jobs, or 3.0%), and federal government (+900 jobs, or 3.1%).

Despite gains over the past year in health care and government, several industries cut jobs. Three major industries declined by at least 3,000 jobs since August 2023: retail trade (-6,800 jobs, or -3.3%); professional and business services (-4,200 jobs, or -1.6%); and leisure and hospitality (-3,000 jobs, or -1.4%). And manufacturing, construction, information, and financial activities each declined by about 1%.

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.0% in August and 4.1% in July and has been in a tight range between 4.0% and 4.2% since October 2023. The U.S. unemployment rate was little changed at 4.2% in August from 4.3% in July.