Colorado’s unemployment rate dropped slightly from 8.7 percent in November to 8.6 percent (not seasonally adjusted) in December, while the Boulder-Longmont MSA saw its unemployment rate fall 0.3 percent from 6.8 percent in November, according to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.
“… we’ve had over-the-year wage and salary employment growth in Colorado for the first time in almost 2½ years,” says Ellen Golombek, executive director. “And we’ve added jobs four consecutive months.”
With an unemployment rate of 6.5 percent, Boulder-Longmont has the lowest rate for metropolitan statistical areas in the state.
The unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) increased in 32 of Colorado’s 64 counties, decreased in 23, and remained unchanged in nine. The lowest rate was 4.0 percent in Cheyenne County and the highest was 18.5 percent in Dolores County. In December 2009, the unemployment rate increased in 50 counties, decreased in eight counties and remained unchanged in six. Last year, the lowest rate was 2.6 percent in Cheyenne County and the highest was 16.3 percent in Dolores County.
Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the unemployment rate fell from 9.8 percent to 9.4 percent in December.
Employment increased in four of Colorado’s eleven major industry sectors over the year. Education and health services increased 9,600, leisure and hospitality 6,200, professional & business services 3,800, and trade, transportation and utilities 1,400. Construction, down 5,700, continues to post the largest decline of all industry sectors. Information declined 3,500, financial activities 3,100, manufacturing 2,800, government 700 and other services 100. There was no change in mining and logging.
Here’s a look at the unemployment rate in some of Colorado’s biggest metro areas:
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