Oregon’s jobless rate hits another post-pandemic high: ‘real evidence of weakness in the state’
By Mike Rogoway | The Oregonian/OregonLive
June 19, 2025
The state had more than 105,000 unemployed workers in May, according to the Oregon Employment Department, the highest number in nearly four years.
Oregon’s unemployment rate nudged up slightly last month to its highest level in nearly four years, 4.8%, according to new data out Wednesday. It’s another sign of the state’s deteriorating labor market amid mounting economic pressure.
“There is some real evidence of weakness in the state,” Oregon state economist Carl Riccadonna told a legislative committee hearing Wednesday. He noted that the state’s jobless rate has risen slowly but steadily over the past year and is 0.6 points higher than the national rate.