New Jobs Numbers Announced For Portland Metro Area

Portland, Ore. – Some good job news in Portland. The Metro area’s unemployment rate dropped from 8.9 percent in August, to an even 8 percent in September. Over the past five months, area employers have added back over 61,000 jobs. That’s about 36 percent of losses from March and April.

Read more from the Oregon Employment Department:

Portland Metropolitan Area: September 2020 Growth Slows to 1,500 Jobs

The Portland metropolitan area’s unemployment rate declined to 8.0 percent in September from 8.9 percent in August. Approximately 100,000 area residents remain unemployed; double the number a year ago. The region’s nonfarm employment rose by 1,500 jobs, following a gain of 7,700 jobs in August (seasonally adjusted). Over the past five months employers added back 61,300 jobs, 36 percent of March and April losses (169,700).

Trade, transportation, and financial activities all saw solid gains over the month. Private and public education also added jobs, although fewer than typical as the pandemic likely caused a reduction in back-to-school hiring. Construction shed 3,700 jobs (not seasonally adjusted) in September, wiping out August’s gains. Professional and business services also declined (1,200 jobs), pulled down by the relatively high paying professional and technical services component (e.g. engineering, legal, computer design services). Over the year, employment is down 8.3 percent in the metro area compared to 6.7 percent statewide and 6.4 percent nationally. As of August, Portland’s decline ranked 18 th steepest among the nation’s 50 largest metro areas. Austin, Indianapolis, and Phoenix recorded the mildest declines, while Las Vegas, New York, and New Orleans had the steepest.