January 23, 2026 3:50 a.m.  

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 5.2 percent in both November and December. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.5 percent in November and 4.4 percent in December.

A State of Oregon Employment Department release said in December, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment dropped by 2,200 jobs, following a gain of 800 jobs, as revised, in November. December’s gains were largest in professional and business services, and government, with gains of 1,100 jobs and 500 jobs respectively. Losses were largest in construction where 2,500 jobs were shuttered. Both retail trade and the transportation, warehousing, and utilities category lost 900 jobs.

State employment economist Gayle Krumenauer said professional and business services added 1,900 jobs during the last two months of 2025, recovering some of the jobs it lost during the first half of the year. Krumenauer said each of its component industries rose between October and December, with administrative and waste services growing the fastest with the addition of 900 jobs, which represents a gain of 0.9 percent.

Construction cut 3,000 jobs during the last two months of 2025, following relatively strong growth during July through October. At 113,900 jobs in December, it is close to its spring level, and slightly below its three-year average of 116,900 jobs during 2022 through 2024.

OED said holiday hiring in retail trade was 1,200 jobs below the normal seasonal pattern during the last two months of the year. Since early 2023, retail trade has trended downward. It employed 199,200 in December, which was 11,300 jobs, or 5.4 percent below three years prior.

Transportation, warehousing and utilities cut 1,400 jobs during November and December, following growth of a similar amount during the summer. It employed 78,200 in December, which was close to its three-year average of 78,500 jobs during 2022 through 2024.