Archuleta County’s unemployment rate fell from 4.1 percent in August to 3.8 percent in September, according to an Oct. 18 press release and report from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE).
That rate compares to a rate of 3.0 percent in September 2023, according to the report.
Archuleta County’s labor force decreased from 6,977 in August to 6,740 in September, with 6,484 individuals employed, according to the CDLE report.
According to the CDLE, the counties with the highest unemployment rates in the state for the month of September are Las Animas County at 6.3 percent and Huerfano County at 6.1 percent.
The counties with the lowest unemployment rates are San Juan County at 2.0 percent, Jackson County at 2.7 percent and San Miguel at 2.8 percent, according to the report.
Regionally, La Plata County had an unemployment rate of 3.6 percent. Hinsdale County had a rate of 3.2 percent. Mineral County had a rate of 4.1 percent, and Conejos County had a rate of 4.0 percent.
The state’s unemployment rate was unchanged from August to September at 4.0 percent, according to the press release.
“According to the survey of households, the number of unemployed individuals grew by 2,300 to 130,800 from August to September. However, due to rounding, Colorado’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged over the same time period at 4.0 percent. The national unemployment rate decreased one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.1 percent from August to September,” the press release states.
Employers in Colorado added 12,700 nonfarm payroll jobs from August to September for a total of 3,009,700 jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private-sector payroll jobs grew by 11,300, while government grew by 1,400 jobs.
Nonfarm payroll jobs measure the number of workers excluding farmers.
The private-industry sector with significant job gains over the month of September were:
• Educational and health services at about 3,200.
• Leisure and hospitality at about 2,500.
• Trade, transportation and utilities at about 2,100.
• Construction at about 2,000.
• Professional and business services at about 1,800.
There were no private-industry sectors with significant over-the-month job losses.
“Since September 2023, nonfarm payroll jobs have increased 47,100, with the private sector growing by 28,300 and government adding 18,800 jobs,” the press release states.
Since September 2023 the largest private-sector job gains include:
• Educational and health services at about 11,900.
• Leisure and hospitality at about 7,400.
• Financial activities at about 5,800.
• Other services at about 4,500.
During the same time period, payroll jobs declined in:
• Information at about 4,100.
• Manufacturing at about 1,300.
The press release notes that Colorado’s rate of job growth over the past year is 1.6 percent, equal to the U.S. rate.
“Over the year, the average workweek for all Colorado employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased from 33.4 to 33.8 hours, while average hourly earnings grew from $36.00 to $38.64, three dollars and twenty-eight cents more than the national average hourly earnings of $35.36,” the report states.
The October 2024 Colorado Employment Situation report will be released on Nov. 18, according to the CDLE.
randi@pagosasun.com
