September 24, 2025 3:40 a.m.

Douglas County’s seasonally adjusted payroll employment increased by 60 jobs in August after a decrease of 220 in July and an increase of 160 in June.

A State of Oregon Employment Department release said in the not seasonally adjusted private-sector industries in August, there were relatively large gains of 60 in transportation, warehousing and utilities, and of 30 in professional and business services. There was a loss of 40 in manufacturing.

Regional Economist Brian Rooney said government increased by 110 in the month of August from gains in local government.

Rooney said when comparing August 2025 with August 2024, seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment increased by 90 jobs or 0.2 percent. There was a relatively large private-sector over-the-year gain of 400 in private education and health services. There were relatively large losses of 150 in retail trade, of 70 in manufacturing and of 50 in construction.

OED said government held steady over the year in August due to a drop of 30 in federal government that was countered by an increase of 30 in local government.

Rooney said Douglas County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up to 6.1 percent in August compared with a revised 5.9 percent in July. The rate is up significantly from 5.4 percent in August 2024. Douglas County’s record low unemployment rate was set in November 2019 at 4.4 percent. The Oregon seasonally adjusted August rate was 5.0 percent, and the U.S. rate was 4.3 percent.