Colorado Employment Situation-April 2014

Colorado Counties

Nonfarm payroll jobs increased 13,900 over the month from March to April to 2,438,100 jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs increased 13,300 and government increased 600. Colorado has had 30 consecutive months of payroll job gains.

According to the survey of households, the unemployment rate decreased two tenths of a percentage point in April to 6.0 percent. The last time the Colorado unemployment rate was 6.0 percent or lower was November 2008 when the number of people participating in the labor force increased 8,900 over the month and the number of people reporting themselves as employed increased 14,400. The larger increase in total employment than in the labor force caused the number of unemployed to decrease 5,600 and the unemployment rate to decline to 6.0 percent. The national unemployment rate decreased four tenths of a percentage point to 6.3 percent.

Over the year, the average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls decreased from 34.4 to 34.2 hours and average hourly earnings increased from $25.49 to $26.25.

The largest over the month private sector job gains were in leisure and hospitality, education and health services, and professional and business services. The largest over the month decline was in other services.

Over the year, nonfarm payroll jobs increased 70,800. Private sector payroll jobs increased 65,300 and government increased 5,500. The largest private sector job gains were in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and education and health services. There were no significant over the year declines.

Over the year, the unemployment rate declined nine tenths of one percentage point from 6.9 percent in April 2013. The number of Coloradans participating in the labor force increased 43,300, total employment increased 67,400 and the number of unemployed decreased 24,100. The national unemployment rate declined from 7.5 percent in April 2013 to 6.3 percent in April 2014.

These are the unemployment percentages for southeast Colorado counties:

.                       Apr 2014         Unemp        Mar 2014       Apr 2013         Unemp
Baca                      2.7                  58                     3.0                    3.4                     80
Bent                       5.8                 123                    6.7                   6.8                    150
Kiowa                   3.4                  29                      3.7                   3.4                      31
Kit Carson          3.7                  160                   4.2                   3.6                    160
Las Animas       7.7                 594                    9.1                    9.7                    758
Crowley              7.4                  116                   9.3                    7.8                     119
Otero                   7.7                 683                    8.8                    8.8                    772
Prowers              4.7                 298                    5.4                    5.2                     339