December 11, 2025 3:50 a.m.
On Wednesday, the Oregon Employment Department released monthly employment and unemployment data for September 2025, after a significant delay due to the federal government shutdown.
An OED release said Oregon’s unemployment rate was 5.2 percent in September and 5.0 percent in August, after increasing for much of the past two years from the recent low of 3.6 percent during spring 2023. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in August and 4.4 percent in September.
State Employment Economist Gail Krumenaer said in September, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment rose by 3,300 jobs, following a revised gain of 3,500 jobs in August. Krumenauer said September’s gains were largest in health care and social assistance, which gained 1,300 jobs. Construction and professional and business services both added 700 jobs. Losses were largest in financial activities which shed 700 jobs.
OED said health care and social assistance continued its rapid expansion of the past several years, adding 11,400 jobs or 3.7 percent, between September 2024 and September 2025.
Construction employment was down slightly this summer compared with the two prior summers. September employment totaled 116,100 jobs, which was 1,600 jobs or 1.4 percent below its level in September 2024.
Krumenauer said professional and business services added 700 in September, but lost jobs since early 2023. Since its peak of 268,900 jobs in March 2023, it has declined to 253,700 jobs in September. That is a loss of 15,200 jobs or 5.7 percent. Each of the three component industries trended downward since early 2023. Over the last 12 months, cutbacks included:
*Administrative and water services were down 4,900 jobs or 4.8 percent
*Professional and technical services shuttered 2,300 jobs or 2.1 percent
*Management of companies and enterprises lost 1,000 jobs or 2.0 percent
OED said manufacturing slipped by 200 jobs in September and is down 9,600 jobs or 5.1 percent, since September 2024, with both durable goods manufacturing and nondurable goods manufacturing each down close to 5 percent.