Wyoming Unemployment Rate Unchanged in July

The Research & Planning News Release featuring employment data for June 2016 is now available on the Internet via http://doe.state.wy.us/LMI/news.htm

The Research & Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported today that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged from June to July at 5.7%. Wyoming’s unemployment rate was significantly higher than its July 2015 level of 4.3% and significantly higher than the current U.S. unemployment rate of 4.9%. Seasonally adjusting state unemployment rates allows for comparability across all states and with the U.S.

On the other hand, Wyoming experienced its normal over the month unemployment rate decrease. Employment often increases in July in many industry sectors including leisure & hospitality, construction, and professional & business services. The largest unemployment rate decreases were seen in Lincoln (down from 4.5% to 3.9%), Big Horn (down from 5.3% to 4.7%), Weston (down from 5.8% to 5.3%), Uinta (down from 6.2% to 5.7%), and Teton (down from 2.6% to 2.1%) counties. Niobrara County’s unemployment rate rose very slightly from 3.4% to 3.5% and Sublette County’s unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.7%.

From July 2015 to July 2016, unemployment rates rose in most counties. The two exceptions were Teton County, where unemployment fell from 2.2% to 2.1% and Lincoln County where unemployment was unchanged from a year earlier (3.9%). The largest increases occurred in Campbell (up from 3.8% to 7.5%) and Converse (up from 3.4% to 6.5%) counties.

In July 2016, eight counties had unemployment rates that were higher than the statewide not seasonally adjusted average of 5.2% and 15 counties had lower unemployment rates. The highest unemployment rates were found in Campbell (7.5%), Natrona (7.3%), Fremont (7.1%), and Converse (6.5%) counties. The lowest unemployment rates were reported in Teton (2.1%), Niobrara (3.5%), Goshen (3.5%), and Albany (3.5%) counties.

Total nonfarm employment (not seasonally adjusted and measured by place of work) fell from 297,200 in July 2015 to 288,900 in July 2016, a decrease of 8,300 jobs (or –2.8%; a statistically significant decrease).

Research & Planning has scheduled the August employment news release for September 20, 2016.