Lincoln County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased slightly to 4.9 percent in January, the Oregon Employment Department has announced, up from 4.8 percent in December. The county’s unemployment rate a year earlier was 4.4 percent.
Oregon’s statewide unemployment rate was 4.4 percent in January, and the national rate was 4 percent.
Regional economist Shaun Barrick said the county’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment increased by 60 in January to 18,860 jobs. Seasonally adjusted figures compare expected changes with actual changes.
Barrick said a loss of 300 jobs was expected for the month, but the actual decrease in jobs came with a loss of 240 jobs in the private sector. The number of government employment was unchanged in January. Leisure and hospitality lost 130 jobs, Barrick said, with trade, transportation, and utilities sectors losing 60 jobs.
January’s total nonfarm employment numbers were up by 70 jobs over the year, an increase of 0.3 percent. The largest gains occurred in professional and business services which rose by 160 jobs over the year in January, Barrick said, with manufacturing losing 180 jobs and leisure and hospitality shedding 80 jobs over the year. Local government, including tribal and education, added 110 jobs, he said.
