March 2025 | Released April 18, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In March, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 15, rose in 17, and remained unchanged in 19.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent.

• In March, payroll jobs rose in 38 states and fell in 12. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Connecticut.

Oregon Employment Snapshot

• In March, Oregon added 7,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.6 percent. In the prior month, Oregon added 1,600 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Oregon added 24,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points from 4.1 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 228,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Oregon is tied for 12th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In March, Oregon’s private sector added 7,600 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 17,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Oregon added 1,500 net private payroll jobs.

• In March, employment in Oregon fell by 2,630, and over the past 12 months it rose by 4,744.

• Oregon’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 62.7 percent in March and ranks 28th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.1 percentage points.

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Oregon Payroll Employment

• Oregon added 7,300 net payroll jobs, or 0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, Oregon added 1,600 jobs. Oregon nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 228,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Oregon is tied for 12th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Oregon added 7,600 private sector jobs, or 0.5 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, Oregon added 1,500 jobs. Oregon private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 209,000 jobs in March, or 0.2 percent. Oregon is tied for 13th 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 March were Education and Health Services (4,600) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (1,100).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Government (-300) and Financial Activities (-400).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (18,500) and Government (7,000).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,200) and Manufacturing (-6,400).

Oregon 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 Oregon remained unchanged at 62.7 percent in March.

• Oregon ranks 28th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Oregon was 62.8 percent in October 2024, and the 10-year low was 59.4 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.5 percent in March.