April 16, 2026 3:40 a.m. 

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 5.2 percent in both January and February.

A State of Oregon Employment Department release said in February, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment declined by 5,400 jobs, following a gain of 1,600 jobs, as revised, in January. February’s gains were largest in financial activities which went up by 800 jobs. Losses were largest in transportation, warehousing and utilities; leisure and hospitality; and professional and business services which lost 1,600, 1,500, and 1,300 jobs respectively.

State Employment Economist Gail Krumenauer said financial activities added 800 jobs in February, which was a rare monthly gain for the industry after persistent declines over the past three years. Krumenauer said it employed 99,800 in February, which was down 1,100 jobs, or 1.1 percent since February 2025.

OED said transportation, warehousing and utilities employment was choppy in recent months, cutting 1,600 jobs in February, following a gain of 1,500 in January. It employed 78,400 in February, which was 400 jobs, or 0.5 percent, above its year-ago level and close to the average employment throughout much of the past five years.

The release said leisure and hospitality cut 1,500 jobs in February following a gain of 1,200 in January. During the prior three years, it was remarkably steady, averaging just over 207,000 jobs.

Krumenauer said professional and business services continued its downtrend of the past three years, cutting 1,300 jobs in February and another 2,000 jobs in January. In the most recent 12 months, it cut 8,700 jobs or 3.4 percent. Since February 2025, each of its three component industries contracted by more than 2 percent: Administrative and waste services shed 4,200 jobs or 4.3 percent, professional and technical services lost 3,200 jobs or 2.9 percent and management of companies and enterprises shed 1,300 jobs or 2.7 percent.

The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.4 percent in February and 4.3 percent in January.