Just like the statewide unemployment rate, Lincoln County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose slightly in August for the first time in almost two years.
Lincoln County’s unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in August, the Oregon Employment Department said Tuesday, an increase from 4.7 in July. The rate was 6.3 percent the year before.
Oregon’s unemployment rate ticked up from 3.5 percent to 3.7 percent in August — the first increase since the big jump at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in the spring of 2020. The national rate was also 3.7 percent in August.
Regional economist Erik Knoder said Lincoln County’s seasonally adjusted non-farm payroll employment increased by 220 in August to 17,910 jobs. Seasonally adjusted figures compare expected changes with actual changes.
A gain of 60 jobs was expected for the month, but the county’s total non-farm employment rose by 280, Knoder said. The private sector added 200 jobs. Government employment was up 80 jobs and private education and health services added 50 jobs. Manufacturing gained 40 jobs and retail trade and the leisure and hospitality sector each added 30 jobs.
The county lost 4,880 jobs in April 2020 as the pandemic hit, Knoder said, and it remains 780 jobs below its pre-pandemic employment of August 2019.
