Lincoln County’s unemployment rate improved slightly in September, dropping to 10.6 percent from August’s jobless rate of 11.4 percent, according to figures released this week by the state.
But because of its dependence on tourism, Lincoln County continues to have the highest unemployment rate in Oregon since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March. In April the county’s unemployment rate was 26.2 percent.
The statewide unemployment rate was 8 percent in September, and the national rate was 7.9 percent, according to the Oregon Employment Department. The unemployment rate in Lincoln County was 4 percent in September 2019.
Other coastal counties had lower unemployment rates in September; Tillamook at 8.1 percent, Clatsop at 8.3 percent, Coos at 8.8 percent and Curry at 9 percent.
In Lincoln County, seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment increased by 350 in September to 16,280 jobs, according to ODE regional economist Erik Knoder. Seasonally adjusted figures compare expected changes with actual changes. A loss of 410 jobs was expected for the month, but the county’s total nonfarm employment dropped by only 60.
The private sector cut 170 jobs and net government employment rose by 110, Knoder said, retail trade lost 60 jobs and the leisure and hospitality sector shed 40 jobs.
Local government education added 160 jobs as the school year began. Other industries had smaller changes.
September’s total nonfarm employment numbers show a loss of 2,710 jobs compared with one year before, a decrease of 13.9 percent. Almost every major industry lost jobs over the year. Leisure and hospitality accounted for most of the drop with a loss of 1,050 jobs, down 20.8 percent from the year before.
In September, 31 of Oregon’s 36 counties experienced over-the-month decreases in their unemployment rates. In 19 counties, unemployment rates dropped by half a percentage point or more. Multnomah and Jefferson counties experienced the largest over-the-month decreases at 1.1 percentage point each. Twenty-two counties had unemployment rates at or below the statewide rate of 8 percent.