July Central Oregon Economic Indicators

Published on Sep 7, 2023

Economy in Central Oregon

By Nicole Ramos | Regional Economist, East Cascades | Oregon Employment Department

Over the last 12 months ending in July, Oregon’s total nonfarm payroll employment grew by 1.8%, adding 35,200 jobs. In Central Oregon, total nonfarm payroll employment was up by 780 jobs year-over-year, with most employment gains taking place in Deschutes County (780). Jefferson County saw total nonfarm payroll employment increase by 180 jobs year-over-year, while Crook County saw employment decrease by 180 during this time.

Oregon’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has been on a downward trend since the beginning of this calendar year. This trend continued in July, and Oregon’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is now 3.4%, tying a record low seen in November and December of 2019. The nation’s unemployment rate is now 3.5% as of July. In Central Oregon, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continued to decline in both Deschutes County (3.7%) and Jefferson County (4.5%) in July but remained unchanged in Crook County (5.3%).

Topic of the Month: Employment by Industry 2023

This month’s special graph highlights industry employment as a percentage of total employment in Deschutes County. If you would like to see which industries dominate the Deschutes County employment landscape, download the attached PDF.