July 17, 2025 3:40 a.m.

In June, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted non-farm payroll employment declined by 4,300 jobs, following a revised loss of 2,100 jobs in May.

A State of Oregon Employment Department release said June’s losses were largest in the other services category, manufacturing, leisure and hospitality, professional and business services and retail trade. Those categories lost 1,400, 1,200, 1,000 and 700 jobs respectively. Gains were largest in health care and social assistance, which added 900 jobs.

State Employment Economist Gail Krumenauer said manufacturing cut 1,200 jobs in June, continuing its decline of the past three years. Since June 2024, manufacturing has lost 7,700 jobs or 4.1 percent. Krumenauer said durable goods manufacturing lost 5,500 jobs or 4.2 percent while nondurable goods lost 2,200 jobs or 3.9 percent – all substantial cuts.

OED said construction dropped 400 jobs in June, following a revised loss of 2,000 in May. After averaging close to 117,000 jobs in 2022 through 2024, construction employed 111,600 as of June 2025. Losses during the past 12 months were concentrated in specialty trade contractors which lost 2,600 jobs or 3.5 percent, and construction of buildings, which lost 1,800 jobs or 5.5 percent.

Krumenauer said retail trade continued its slow jobs decline. After averaging 210,600 jobs in 2022, the industry steadily declined to 201,600 jobs as of June 2025. That’s a drop of 9,000 jobs or 4.5 percent. Nearly every retail subsector dropped jobs during that time. The primary exception was food and beverage retailers, which, at 47,400 jobs in June 2025, added 200 jobs since June 2022.

The release said health care and social assistance added 900 jobs in June and 1,600 jobs, as revised, in May. In the past 12 months, it gained by far the most jobs of the major industries – adding 15,800 jobs or 5.3 percent. During that time, its two fastest growing components were social assistance – which went up 6,500 jobs or 8.4 percent, and nursing and residential health care facilities – which added 3,300 jobs or 5.8 percent.

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in June and 4.8 percent in May, after rising gradually over the past year from 4.1 percent in June 2024. Oregon’s 4.9 percent unemployment rate was 1.3 percentage points higher than the recent low of 3.6 percent during spring 2023. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.2 percent in May and 4.1 percent in June.