Colorado Employment Situation – September 2012

Nonfarm payroll jobs increased 7,000 from August to September to 2,300,200 jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs increased 4,400 and government increased 2,600. The over the month increase in payroll jobs was driven in large part by greater than expected seasonal gains in private and public sector educational services.

According to the survey of households, the unemployment rate decreased two tenths of one percentage point over the month to 8.0 percent. The decrease in the unemployment rate was caused by a larger increase in the number of people reporting their status as employed than the increase in those actively participating in the labor force. The national unemployment rate decreased three tenths of one percentage point over the same period to 7.8 percent.

The largest over the month private sector job gains were in education and health services, trade, transportation and utilities, and other services. The largest over the month decline was in manufacturing.

Over the year, the unemployment rate declined two tenths of one percentage point from 8.2 percent in September 2011. The number of Coloradans participating in the labor force decreased 800, total employment increased 4,200 and the number of unemployed decreased 5,000. The national unemployment rate declined from 9.0 percent in September 2011 to 7.8 percent in September 2012.

The following are percentages of unemployment, not seasonally adjusted, for the Labor Force for southeastern Colorado counties.

                          Sept 2012    Unemployed     Aug 2012       Sept 2011

Baca                       3.4                94                  3.4                   3.7
Bent                       6.9              179                  7.3                    7.0
Kiowa                     3.0                35                  2.9                    3.5
Kit Carson              4.1               204                 4.3                    4.6
Las Animas          11.0               887               11.5                    9.3
Crowley                 9.9               184                10.6                   8.1
Otero                     8.3               805                  9.0                   8.5
Prowers                 5.9               420                  6.0                    5.5