Construction saw the most job growth, while the leisure and hospitality sector has gained the most jobs year-over-year.
Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment rose by 8,100 jobs last month, according to data released by the Oregon Employment Department Wednesday. The job growth follows a revised decline of 700 jobs in August.
The sectors which saw the most month-to-month growth were in construction (which added 3,200 jobs); professional and business services (up 2,200 jobs); and leisure and hospitality (which added 900 jobs). Most of the other major industries were relatively flat over the month. The government added 900 jobs and the wholesale trade sector added 500 jobs. No sector has declined by more than 200 jobs since August.
Construction jobs have grown 2% since September 2022. Most of the gains in construction jobs last year were in specialty trade contractors, which added 4,000 jobs. Construction of buildings had the same employment level as in 2022.
Leisure and hospitality jobs have increased quickly over the last year, growing by 23,900 jobs, or 12.8%, since 2022. Despite the gains, the leisure and hospitality sector still has more room to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Even at 210,800 jobs in September, the sector is still 5,700 jobs below its pre-recession peak in February 2020.
Jobs in professional and business services grew 1.5% year-over-year. The biggest gains were in the management of companies and enterprises, which grew by 2,400 jobs, or 4.8%, annually. Professional and technical services grew moderately, increasing by 1,600 jobs, or 1.4% annually. Administrative and waste services job growth was relatively flat over the period, shedding 100 jobs, or -0.1%. Employment services cut 2,000 jobs, or -4.5%, over the past year.
Oregon’s job growth is roughly in line with the rest of the country. The United States added 336,000 jobs in September of 2023 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, above the 227,000 jobs the country added in August. Nationally, the largest gains were in government, leisure and hospitality, and healthcare.
Like the rest of the country, Oregon is in a state of historically low unemployment. Oregon’s unemployment rate was 3.5% in September, slightly up from 3.4% in August. Oregon’s unemployment is still lower than the rest of the country. The U.S. unemployment rate was 3.8% in both August and September.
