The Research & Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported today that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose slightly from 3.0% in August to 3.1% in September. Wyoming’s unemployment rate was modestly higher than its September 2023 level of 2.9%, but much lower than the current U.S. unemployment rate of 4.1%.
From August to September, county unemployment rates followed their normal seasonal pattern and decreased. The largest decreases occurred in Platte (down from 3.6% to 2.7%), Goshen (down from 3.4% to 2.6%), and Johnson (down from 3.1% to 2.4%) counties.
In September, unemployment rates were higher than their year-ago levels in every county. The largest increases were reported in Big Horn (up from 2.4% to 3.0%) and Carbon (up from 2.1% to 2.7%) counties.
Uinta County, at 3.1%, had the highest unemployment rate in September. It was followed by Big Horn County, Sublette County, and Sweetwater County, each at 3.0%. The lowest unemployment rates were found in Teton County at 1.6%, and Crook and Niobrara counties, each at 2.0%.
Current Employment Statistics (CES) estimates show that total nonfarm employment in Wyoming (not seasonally adjusted and measured by place of work) rose from 297,900 in September 2023 to 299,700 in September 2024, an increase of 1,800 jobs (0.6%).
October unemployment data will be published on November 20, 2024.
Wyoming Seasonally Adjusted Statewide Labor Force Estimates
Change
Month Year
September-24 August-24 September-23 absolute percent absolute percent
Total Civilian Labor Force 295,155 294,909 295,121 246 0.1% 34 0.0%
Employed 285,956 285,935 286,677 21 0.0% -721 -0.3%
Unemployed 9,199 8,974 8,444 225 2.5% 755 8.9%
Unemployment Rate 3.1 3.0 2.9
| Definitions: | |
| Employed | All persons who, during the reference week, did any work at all as paid employees, worked in their own business, profession, or on their own farm, or worked 15 hours or more as unpaid workers in a family business. |
| Unemployed | All persons who had no employment during the reference week, were available for work, and had made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the 4-week period ending with the reference week. |
| Labor Force | All persons who meet the criteria given above as either employed or unemployed. |
| Unemployment Rate | The number of unemployed as a percent of the labor force. |
| Seasonal Adjustment | A statistical procedure to remove the impact of normal regularly recurring events (such as weather, major holidays, and the opening and closing of schools) from economic time series to better understand changes in economic conditions from month to month. |
Not seasonally adjusted data reflect the actual economic conditions in a given area for a given time period. These data show the normal seasonal changes that occur in the economy. Most county unemployment rates are higher in the winter months because of seasonal job losses in construction, leisure & hospitality, and many other sectors. Similarly, most county unemployment rates are lower in the summer months as employment increases across the economy. Data users should use caution when comparing not seasonally adjusted data for different months, as at least part of the difference between months may reflect normal seasonal patterns.
In contrast, seasonally adjusted data have been subjected to a statistical procedure to remove the effects of normal changes that occur in the economy each year, such as seasonal hiring in the construction sector, the opening and closing of schools, and holiday hiring by retail trade establishments. There is no expectation that seasonally adjusted unemployment rates will be higher or lower in any particular month, except as the economy expands or contracts. The value of seasonally adjusted data is that it is easy to identify longer-term trends in the data and valid comparisons can be made between any two months in the series.
Research & Planning works in cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics to develop and publish unemployment rates for each county in Wyoming. However, these data are not seasonally adjusted and therefore reflect seasonal changes each month.
Table 1: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment
rates ranked from lowest to highest for September 2024
County Rate*
Teton County, WY 1.6
Crook County, WY 2.0
Niobrara County, WY 2.0
Converse County, WY 2.2
Weston County, WY 2.2
Albany County, WY 2.3
Johnson County, WY 2.4
Lincoln County, WY 2.4
Park County, WY 2.4
Sheridan County, WY 2.4
Campbell County, WY 2.6
Goshen County, WY 2.6
Hot Springs County, WY 2.6
Wyoming 2.6
Carbon County, WY 2.7
Platte County, WY 2.7
Laramie County, WY 2.8
Fremont County, WY 2.9
Natrona County, WY 2.9
Washakie County, WY 2.9
Big Horn County, WY 3.0
Sublette County, WY 3.0
Sweetwater County, WY 3.0
Uinta County, WY 3.1
*preliminary
Table 2: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-month rate
changes ranked from lowest to highest for September 2024
Month ago Over-the-Month
County rate Rate* Rate Change
Platte County, WY 3.6 2.7 -0.9
Goshen County, WY 3.4 2.6 -0.8
Johnson County, WY 3.1 2.4 -0.7
Big Horn County, WY 3.6 3.0 -0.6
Laramie County, WY 3.4 2.8 -0.6
Niobrara County, WY 2.6 2.0 -0.6
Sublette County, WY 3.6 3.0 -0.6
Albany County, WY 2.8 2.3 -0.5
Campbell County, WY 3.1 2.6 -0.5
Carbon County, WY 3.2 2.7 -0.5
Converse County, WY 2.7 2.2 -0.5
Crook County, WY 2.5 2.0 -0.5
Fremont County, WY 3.4 2.9 -0.5
Lincoln County, WY 2.9 2.4 -0.5
Natrona County, WY 3.4 2.9 -0.5
Sweetwater County, WY 3.5 3.0 -0.5
Washakie County, WY 3.4 2.9 -0.5
Wyoming 3.1 2.6 -0.5
Sheridan County, WY 2.8 2.4 -0.4
Uinta County, WY 3.5 3.1 -0.4
Weston County, WY 2.6 2.2 -0.4
Park County, WY 2.7 2.4 -0.3
Hot Springs County, WY 2.8 2.6 -0.2
Teton County, WY 1.8 1.6 -0.2
*preliminary
Table 3: Wyoming counties not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates over-the-year
changes ranked from lowest to highest for September 2024
Year ago Over-the-Year
County Rate Rate* Rate Change
Albany County, WY 2.1 2.3 0.2
Crook County, WY 1.8 2.0 0.2
Niobrara County, WY 1.8 2.0 0.2
Teton County, WY 1.4 1.6 0.2
Converse County, WY 1.9 2.2 0.3
Lincoln County, WY 2.1 2.4 0.3
Natrona County, WY 2.6 2.9 0.3
Wyoming 2.3 2.6 0.3
Campbell County, WY 2.2 2.6 0.4
Fremont County, WY 2.5 2.9 0.4
Johnson County, WY 2.0 2.4 0.4
Laramie County, WY 2.4 2.8 0.4
Park County, WY 2.0 2.4 0.4
Platte County, WY 2.3 2.7 0.4
Sheridan County, WY 2.0 2.4 0.4
Sublette County, WY 2.6 3.0 0.4
Sweetwater County, WY 2.6 3.0 0.4
Weston County, WY 1.8 2.2 0.4
Goshen County, WY 2.1 2.6 0.5
Hot Springs County, WY 2.1 2.6 0.5
Uinta County, WY 2.6 3.1 0.5
Washakie County, WY 2.4 2.9 0.5
Big Horn County, WY 2.4 3.0 0.6
Carbon County, WY 2.1 2.7 0.6
*preliminary
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Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Research & Planning October 23, 2024 Contacts: David Bullard, Senior Economist, 307-473-3810 Carola Cowan, BLS Programs Supervisor, 307-473-3804 |