According to an Aug. 21 report from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), Archuleta County’s unemployment rate rose to 3.6 percent in June, which is up from June’s figure of 3.3 percent.
Archuleta County’s labor force totaled at 6,546 with 233 unemployed, according to the report. That compares to a labor force of 6,501 in June, with 213 unemployed.
Colorado’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.9 percent, the report notes.
According to the survey of households, the number of unemployed individuals increased by 200 to 125,000 from June to July.
“Colorado’s labor force decreased by 4,300 in July to 3,189,000,” the report notes. “The share of Coloradans participating in the labor force was 65.5 percent in July, one-tenth of a percentage point lower than in June, this marks the lowest labor force participation rate since July 2020. The U.S. labor force participation rate decreased one-tenth of a percentage point to 61.4 percent in July.”
The national unemployment rate decreased one-tenth of a percent to 4.1 percent for July.
Costilla County had the highest unemployment rate in the state in July at 7.4 percent, followed by Las Animas County at 6.7 percent and Huerfano County at 6.3 percent.
Yuma County had the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 2.4 percent, followed by Kit Carson County at 2.6 percent.
Regionally, the report shows La Plata County with a 3.6 percent unemployment rate in July, San Juan County at 3.1 percent, Mineral County at 4.0 percent, Hinsdale County at 2.4 percent, Rio Grande County at 4.7 percent and Conejos County at 4.2 percent.
Job loss, growth
“Employers in Colorado gained 5,800 nonfarm payroll jobs from June to July for a total of 2,973,700 jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs increased by 6,500, while government decreased by 700,” the report notes.
The report also states, “June estimates were revised down to 2,967,900, and the over the month change from May to June was an increase of 1,900 jobs rather than the originally estimated increase of 4,800 (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 private-industry sectors with significant over-the-month job gains in July were in:
• Professional and business services at about 2,000 jobs.
• Education and health services at about 1,800.
• Other services at about 1,500.
There were no private industry sectors with significant over-the-month job losses in July, according to the CDLE.
Since July 2025, nonfarm payroll jobs have increased by 12,100, with the private sector increasing by 16,700 and government decreasing by 4,600 jobs.
The largest private-sector gains were in:
• Education and health services at about 15,500 jobs.
• Leisure and hospitality at about 9,000.
• Construction at about 5,600.
• Professional and business services at about 1,700.
During that same period, payroll jobs declined in:
• Information by about 5,600 jobs.
• Financial activities by about 5,300.
• Other services by about 1,900.
• Manufacturing by about 1,400.
“Colorado’s rate of job growth over the past year is 0.4 percent, above the U.S. rate of 0.2 percent,” the report notes.
The report further notes that, over the year, the average workweek for all Colorado employees on private nonfarm payrolls was unchanged at 33.4 hours, while average hourly earnings grew from $38.91 to $39.63, $2.01 more than the national average hourly earnings of $37.62.
randi@pagosasun.com
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