August 14, 2025 3:40 a.m. 

In July, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment declined by 2,700 jobs, following a revised loss of 6,800 jobs in June.

An Oregon Employment Department release said July’s losses were largest in financial activities, professional and business services, and health care and social assistance, which lost 2,700, 1,400, and 1,100 jobs respectively. Gains were largest in construction and transportation, and warehousing and utilities, which added 2,900 and 800 jobs respectively.

State Employment Economist Gail Krumemauer said construction employed 112,700 in July, rebounding from its relatively weak prior two months, but landing well below its average level of 117,500 jobs during the prior two years.

OED said professional and business services have been on a declining trend since early 2023. Accounting for 254,100 jobs in July, it is down 14,800 jobs or 5.5 percent, since its peak employment in March 2023. Each of the three component industries dropped by a similar percentage during that period.

Newly revised numbers for this year show lower employment levels than previously estimated for most industries. Since July 2024, Oregon’s total nonfarm payroll employment dropped 24,600 jobs or 1.2 percent. Manufacturing lost 9,400 jobs or 5.0 percent. Information, private education, wholesale trade, financial activities, and construction each cut between 3 and 4 percent. In that time, only two major industries expanded: health care and social assistance added 9,800 jobs or 3.2 percent, and leisure and hospitality gained 2,000 jobs or 1.0 percent.

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 5.0 percent in July and 4.9 percent in June, after rising gradually over the past year from 4.2 percent in July of 2024. Oregon’s unemployment rate was 1.4 percentage points higher than the recent low of 3.6 percent during the spring of 2023. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.1 percent in June and 4.2 percent in July.