Colorado Employment Situation – April 2012

Employers in Colorado added 1,200 nonfarm payroll jobs from March to April for a total of 2,291,800 nonfarm payroll jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs increased 100 and government increased 1,100.  

According to the survey of households, the unemployment rate increased one-tenth of one percentage point over the month to 7.9 percent. The increase in the unemployment rate was caused by an increase in the number of unemployed and a decline in the number of people participating in the labor force. The national unemployment rate decreased one tenth of a percentage point over the same period to 8.1 percent. 

The largest over the month private sector job gains were in trade, transportation and utilities, education and health services, and construction.  Over the year, nonfarm payroll jobs increased 39,800. Private sector payroll jobs increased 40,200 and government declined 400. The large private sector job gains were in professional business services,   education and health services, and trade, transportation and utilities. The only significant decline in private sector payroll jobs was in information. 

Over the year, the unemployment rate is down one half of a percentage point from 8.4 percent in April 2011. The number of Coloradans participating in the labor force increased 10,100, total employment increased 22,200 and the number of unemployed decreased 12,100. The national unemployment rate declined from 9.0 to 8.1 percent from April 2011 to April 2012. 

Here are the unemployment percentages for southeast Colorado Counties: 

                                April 2012            Unemployed     March 2012         April 2011 

Baca                            3.3                          84                           3.7                          3.8
Bent                             7.3                         184                          7.7                          7.4
Kiowa                          3.1                          34                           3.3                          3.8
Kit Carson                  4.5                          204                         4.7                          4.6
Las Animas              10.3                          787                       10.4                          9.4
Crowley                      9.5                          167                          8.8                        10.0
Otero                          8.9                           824                         9.2                          8.9
Prowers                     5.6                           398                          5.8                          5.4