Coos County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined in April to 4.9 percent from a revised 5.2 percent in March. The rate is 1.8 percentage points below the April 2016 rate (6.7%). Oregon’s seasonally adjusted April unemployment rate was 3.7 percent, a record low; the national rate was 4.4 percent. The county’s total nonfarm payroll employment increased over the month by 110 jobs. Industries reporting gains included leisure and hospitality (+90); professional and business services (+40); and trade, transportation, and utilities (+30). Industries losing jobs over the month included a 100-job loss in local government, reflecting seasonal shifts in local education. Coos County gained 210 jobs over the year ending in April for a 0.9 percent annual growth rate. Industries with employment growth included leisure and hospitality (+130); private education and health services (+80); professional and business services (+70); and construction (+30). Industries losing jobs over the year included transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-100). Government employment declined by 30 jobs over the year. Curry County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined in April to 5.6 percent from a revised 5.9 percent in March. The rate is 1.7 percentage points below the April 2016 rate (7.1%). The county’s total payroll employment increased over the month by 100 jobs. Industries with employment growth included leisure and hospitality (+40), construction, and professional and business services (+20, each). There were no significant over-the-month employment losses.
