BEND, OR — The Central Oregon unemployment rates continue their holding pattern. Latest figures show the Crook County jobless rate at 10.2%, Deschutes County’s rate at 8.1% , and Jefferson County’s unemployment rate at 9.3%. While all three rates were unchanged from June, analyst Melissa Greenaway told KBNW News hiring was up across Central Oregon.
“Deschutes County was the fastest growing metropolitan area in the state, which hasn’t happened since January of this year. So, we’ve added nearly 3,400 jobs from last July. Those are just some solid gains.”
Greenaway added 90% of the employment gains over the past year have occurred in the private sector. She said while many of the Central Oregon tourism employment opportunities have come and gone for the year, she remains optimists for the remainder of 2014.
“Last fall, we really didn’t see any slowdown, and that’s when hiring picked up in 2013. So, we are on a strong path with significant gains and hopefully those continue into the rest of the year.”
The statewide and national unemployment rates held steady in July as well.
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