Colorado July Employment Situation

Colorado Counties

Nonfarm payroll jobs increased 5,500 over the month from June to July, to 2,452,200 jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs increased 6,000 and government decreased 500. Colorado has had 33 consecutive months of payroll job gains.   According to the survey of households, the unemployment rate decreased two tenths of a percentage point in July to 5.3 percent. The last time the Colorado unemployment rate was as low as 5.3 percent was October 2008.

The number of people participating in the labor force increased 3,500 over the month and the number of people reporting themselves as employed increased 7,900. The larger increase in total employment than in labor force caused the number of unemployed to decrease 4,400 and the unemployment rate to decline to 5.3 percent.

The national unemployment rate increased one tenth of a percentage point in June to 6.2 percent.   Over the year, the average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls decreased from 34.8 to 34.4 hours and average hourly earnings increased from $25.54 to $26.15.

The largest over the month private sector job gains were in education and health services, construction, and professional and business services. The largest over the month decline was in leisure and hospitality.   Over the year, nonfarm payroll jobs increased 65,600. Private sector payroll jobs increased 58,300 and government increased 7,300.

The largest private sector job gains were in education and health services, professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality. Financial activities and information declined over the year.   Over the year, the unemployment rate declined one and a half percentage points from 6.8 percent in July 2013.

The number of Coloradans participating in the labor force increased 51,300, total employment increased 90,600 and the number of unemployed decreased 39,400. The national unemployment rate declined from 7.3 percent in July 2013 to 6.2 percent in July 2014.

The following are unemployment percentages for counties in southeast Colorado:

.                         June 2014            Unemp                 May 2014             June 2013            Unemp
Baca                       2.7                          62                           2.5                          3.6                          84
Bent                       5.2                          117                          5.1                          7.8                          174
Kiowa                    3.5                          32                           3.1                          3.7                          34
Kit Carson            3.5                        168                          3.4                          4.2                          186
Las Animas          6.9                        545                          7.2                        10.3                          794
Crowley                6.7                         109                          6.8                          8.7                         139
Otero                    7.5                          698                         7.6                          8.9                          814
Prowers               4.8                          314                         4.6                          5.9                          388