Lincoln County’s unemployment rate was 7.7 percent in May, the Oregon Employment Department announced Tuesday, slightly below the April rate but two percentage points higher than the state’s overall rate.
Lincoln County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 7.7 percent in May was essentially unchanged from 7.9 percent in April, according to regional economist Eric Knoder. It was 20.4 percent in May 2020.
Oregon’s statewide unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in May, and the national rate was 5.8 percent.
Knoder said seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment increased by 70 in May to 17,150 jobs. Seasonally adjusted figures compare expected changes with actual changes.
A gain of 200 jobs was expected for the month, Knoder said, but the county’s total nonfarm employment rose by 270. The private sector added 240 jobs, and government employment rose by 30. Food manufacturing grew by 110 jobs as commercial fishing increased, Knoder said, and the leisure and hospitality sector added 90 jobs.
May’s total nonfarm employment numbers show a gain of 2,500 jobs compared with one year before, an increase of 17.1 percent. The county lost 4,360 jobs in April 2020 as the pandemic hit, and it remains 1,780 jobs below its pre-pandemic employment of May 2019, Knoder said.
Almost every major industry added jobs over the past year. Leisure and hospitality recovered 1,410 jobs from the year before. Retail trade regained 470 jobs, and financial activities added back 210 jobs.
