United States Employment Snapshot
In May, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 13, rose in 17, and remained unchanged in 21.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.3 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in North Dakota and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4 percent.
In May, payroll jobs rose in 42 states and fell in 9. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.9 percent in Idaho. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Minnesota.
Colorado Employment Snapshot
In May, Colorado added 9,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 3.8 percent. In the prior month, Colorado added 500 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Colorado added 55,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.7 percentage points from 3.1 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 272,000 in May, or 0.2 percent. Colorado is tied for 14th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In May, Colorado’s private sector added 7,900 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 29,900 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Colorado lost 1,000 net private payroll jobs.
In May, employment in Colorado fell by 6,264, and over the past 12 months it fell by 21,946.
Colorado’s labor force participation rate fell to 67.9 percent in May from 68 percent and ranks 6th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.6 percentage points.
Colorado Payroll Employment
Colorado added 9,800 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Colorado added 500 jobs. Colorado nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 272,000 in May, or 0.2 percent. Colorado is tied for 14th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Colorado added 7,900 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Colorado lost 1,000 jobs. Colorado private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 229,000 jobs in May, or 0.2 percent. Colorado is tied for 30th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during May were Professional and Business Services (3,700) and Leisure and Hospitality (2,100).
The poorest performing sectors during the month were Information (-500) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-900).
The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Government (25,500) and Education and Health Services (16,300).
The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Construction (-2,300) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-6,000).
Colorado Labor Force
The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.
The labor force participation rate in Colorado fell to 67.9 percent in May from 68 percent in the prior month.
Colorado ranks 6th in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Colorado was 68.9 percent in December 2019, and the 10-year low was 65.4 percent in July 2020.
The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 62.5 percent in May.