Central Oregon Economic Indicators—July 2024

Published on Sep 5, 2024

Economy in Central Oregon

By Andrew Grimoldby | Workforce Analyst/Economist, East Cascades Oregon Employment Department

July in View:

The nation’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased slightly from 4.1% in June to 4.3% in July, and at the statewide level, the unemployment rate remained constant at 4.1%.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rates in the counties of Central Oregon have all increased since July of last year. Crook County increased from 5.6% to 6.0%, Deschutes increased from 3.6% to 4.1%, and Jefferson increased from 4.5% to 4.7%.

Topic of the Month: Labor Force by Age in Deschutes County

Using data from the United States Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, we can obtain information on the labor force by age group in Deschutes County.

The prime working age is defined as individuals between the ages of 25 and 54. In Deschutes County, prime-working-age individuals make up 65.2% of the labor force. Comparatively, in the United States, they make up 63.4%, and in Oregon they make up 64.7%.

Since 35 to 44 years olds make up the largest portion of the population in Deschutes County, it’s not surprising they make up the largest portion of the labor force with 23,125 participants. This is consistent with both the United States and Oregon, where 35 to 44 year olds make up the largest portion of the labor force.

Deschutes County has a higher portion of 20 to 24 year olds in the labor force than Oregon and the United States. In Deschutes County, 82.4% of the 20 to 24 year old population participates in the labor force. In the state, 77.3% of this population participates in the labor force, and in the nation, only 75.1%.