Steady Employment Growth
Oregon’s job market posted strong gains in August, with seasonally adjusted nonfarm payrolls increasing by 6,900 positions, according to the Oregon Employment Department. The rise follows a revised gain of just 100 jobs in July, signaling a renewed pace of hiring as the state heads into fall.
Overall, Oregon reported 2,118,769 employed residents in August, alongside 123,886 unemployed.
Where the Jobs Were Added
Several sectors drove August’s growth:
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Health care and social assistance: +2,500 jobs
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Leisure and hospitality: +1,500 jobs
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Government: +1,100 jobs
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Other services: +1,000 jobs
The only major decline came from wholesale trade, which shed 1,100 jobs during the month.
Health Care Leads the Way
Health care and social assistance has been Oregon’s fastest-growing sector in recent years, and August was no exception. Over the past 12 months, the industry added 11,600 jobs, a 3.8% increase.
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Nursing and residential care facilities: +400 jobs in August; +3,900 jobs (6.8%) since August 2024
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Hospitals: flat in August, but up +2,900 jobs (4.6%) over the past year
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Social assistance: +2,400 jobs (3.0%) year-over-year
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Ambulatory health care services: +2,300 jobs (2.2%) year-over-year
This steady expansion highlights Oregon’s ongoing demand for health care workers, driven by both population growth and an aging demographic.
Leisure and Hospitality Rebounds
After several years of little movement, leisure and hospitality has shown renewed momentum, gaining 4,100 jobs since last August, a 2.0% increase.
The growth has been broad-based, with most subsectors adding between 2% and 4% over the past year. The standout performer has been amusement, gambling, and recreation, which grew by 1,500 jobs (6.7%).
However, not all segments shared in the expansion. Full-service restaurants cut 1,200 jobs in the past year, a decline of 1.8%, highlighting uneven recovery within the industry.
Wholesale Trade Declines Sharply
While many industries expanded, wholesale trade continued its steep decline. The sector lost 4,300 jobs over the past year, a 5.5% decrease.
Losses were spread across all three major components:
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Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods: -1,500 jobs (-4.9%)
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Merchant wholesalers, durable goods: -1,000 jobs (-2.5%)
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Agents and brokers: -900 jobs (-13.0%)
The contraction underscores shifting dynamics in supply chains and trade-related employment.
Government and Other Services
Government employment expanded by 1,100 jobs in August, while the “other services” category — which includes personal care, repair, and nonprofit work — grew by 1,000. Both areas continue to provide consistent, if modest, job gains that support the broader labor market.
Unemployment Trends
Oregon’s unemployment rate stood at 5.0% in August, up slightly from a revised 4.9% in July. The state’s jobless rate has risen gradually over the past year, climbing from 4.2% in August 2024.
At 5.0%, Oregon’s unemployment rate is 1.4 percentage points above its recent low of 3.6% in spring 2023. Nationally, the U.S. unemployment rate was 4.2% in July and edged up to 4.3% in August.
The Bigger Picture
Oregon’s August job growth reflects a labor market still capable of generating significant employment gains, even as unemployment has crept higher. Expanding industries such as health care and leisure continue to offset declines in trade-related sectors, while government and service jobs provide stability.
The coming months will show whether Oregon can sustain this pace of growth while narrowing gaps in industries still struggling to regain pre-pandemic strength.
