Local News

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 5.2% in both March and February. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.3% in March and 4.4% in February.

According to the Oregon Employment Department, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment declined by 4,800 jobs in March, following a loss of 6,900 jobs in February. March’s gains were largest in retail trade (+900 jobs). Losses were largest in professional and business services (-2,400 jobs) and government (-800).

Retail trade added 800 jobs in February and 900 jobs in March, still 1,900 jobs, or 0.9%, below its March 2025 level. Since March 2025, motor vehicle and parts dealers cut the most jobs.

Government employment has declined over the past six months, peaking at an all-time high of 318,700 jobs in September, now down to 313,200 by March. Federal government continued to drop jobs, now at 26,700 in March. Local government, which employed 237,200 in March, has been trending downward over the past several months and is down 1,000 jobs, or 0.4%, in the past 12 months.

Professional and business services continued a three-year downtrend, cutting 2,400 jobs in March after a loss of 1,800 jobs in February. In the most recent 12 months, it cut 10,600 jobs, or 4.1%.