According to a Sept. 18 report from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), Archuleta County’s unemployment rate rose to 4.3 percent in August, which is up from July’s figure of 3.5 percent and up from August 2025’s rate of 3.4 percent.
Archuleta County’s labor force totaled at 6,445 with 278 unemployed in August, according to the report. That compares to a labor force of 6,542 in July, with 231 unemployed.
Colorado’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.0 percent, the report notes.
According to the survey of households, the number of unemployed individuals in Colorado increased by 3,200 to 128,200 from July to August.
“Colorado’s labor force decreased by 6,500 in August to 3,182,400,” the report notes. “The share of Coloradans participating in the labor force was 65.3 percent in August, two-tenths of a percentage point lower than in July. The August rate of 65.3 percent marks the lowest participation rate on record, going back to 1976. The U.S. labor force participation rate increased two-tenths of a percentage point to 61.6 percent in August.”
The national unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.1 percent for August.
Costilla County had the highest unemployment rate in the state in August at 8.0 percent, followed by Huerfano County at 7.0 percent and Las Animas County at 6.9 percent.
Yuma County had the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 2.7 percent, followed by Kit Carson County at 2.8 percent and Cheyenne County at 2.9 percent.
Regionally, the report shows La Plata County with a 4.1 percent unemployment rate in August, San Juan County at 3.6 percent, Mineral County at 4.6 percent, Hinsdale County at 3.5 percent, Rio Grande County at 5.0 percent and Conejos County at 4.3 percent.
Job loss, growth
“Employers in Colorado lost 1,400 nonfarm payroll jobs from July to August for a total of 2,970,300 jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs decreased by 900, while government decreased by 500,” the report notes.
The report also states, “July estimates were revised down to 2,971,700, and the over the month change from June to July was an increase of 3,800 jobs rather than the originally estimated increase of 5,800 (monthly revisions are based on additional responses from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates).”
Nonfarm payroll jobs estimates are based on a survey of business establishments and government agencies, and are intended to measure the number of jobs, not the number of people employed.
The only private-industry sector with significant over-the-month job gains in August was leisure and hospitality at about 1,700 jobs.
The only private-industry sector with significant over-the-month job losses in August was construction at about 2,200, according to the CDLE.
Since August 2025, nonfarm payroll jobs have increased by 6,600, with the private sector increasing by 11,900 and government decreasing by 5,300 jobs
The largest private-sector gains were in:
• Education and health services at about 12,400 jobs.
• Leisure and hospitality at about 9,000.
• Construction at about 2,200.
• Professional and business services at about 1,900.
During that same period, payroll jobs declined in:
• Information by about 5,600 jobs.
• Financial activities by about 4,300.
• Other services by about 1,100.
• Trade, transportation and utilities by about 1,100.
• Manufacturing by about 1,000.
“Colorado’s rate of job growth over the past year is 0.2 percent, below the U.S. rate of 0.4 percent,” the report notes.
The report further notes that, over the year, the average workweek for all Colorado employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased to 34.3 hours, while average hourly earnings grew from $39.14 to $40.31, $2.56 more than the national average hourly earnings of $37.75.
randi@pagosasun.com
>