Oregon’s Jobless Rate below 7 Percent, March 19

Oregon’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.9 percent in February, its first time below 7.0 percent in more than five years. The last time the state’s rate was lower was in August 2008 when the rate was 6.7 percent.  Oregon’s unemployment rate has been steadily trending down for more than four years as the economy has recovered from the Great Recession. Recent declines were coupled with moderate employment growth as indicated by the more than 2,000 jobs added in both January and February.