Colorado Employment Situation for December, 2016

Barbara Crimond | Jan 25, 2017 | Comments 0

Total nonfarm payroll jobs declined 4,000 from November to December to 2,627,400 jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs decreased 3,700 and government decreased 300.

According to the survey of households, the unemployment rate decreased two-tenths of a percentage point in December to 3.0 percent. The number of people actively participating in the labor force increased 5,200 over the month to 2,926,100 and the number of people reporting themselves as employed increased 11,200 to 2,838,500. The larger increase in total employment than in labor force caused the number of unemployed to decline 6,000 and the unemployment rate to decrease to 3.0 percent. The national unemployment rate increased one-tenth of a percentage point in December to 4.7 percent.

Over the year, the average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased from 33.2 to 33.3 hours and average hourly earnings decreased from $27.03 to $26.92.

The largest over the month private sector job gains were in professional and business services and trade, transportation, and utilities. The largest over the month declines were in leisure and hospitality and education and health services.

Over the year, nonfarm payroll jobs increased 48,800 with an increase of 43,100 in the private sector and an increase of 5,700 in government. The largest private sector job gains were in professional and business services, education and health services, and construction. Mining and logging, manufacturing, and financial activities declined over the year.

Over the year, the unemployment rate is down five-tenths of a percentage point from 3.5 percent. The number of Coloradans participating in the labor force increased 93,800, total employment increased 104,700 and the number of unemployed decreased 10,900. The national unemployment rate declined from 5.0 percent in December 2015 to 4.7 percent in December 2016.

The following are percentages for unemployment in southeast Colorado:

	Dec 2016 Rate	Unemployed	Nov 2016 Rate	Dec 2015 Rate	Unemployed
Baca	1.6	34	1.5	1.5	31
Bent	2.5	42	2.6	3.2	56
Crowley	3.1	41	2.8	4.4	59
Cheyenne	1.7	18	2.1	2.1	21
Kiowa	2.0	17	2.1	1.7	14
Kit Carson	1.9	85	1.8	2.1	94
Las Animas	4.4	257	4.1	4.8	303
Otero	4.0	321	3.8	5.1	409
Prowers	2.4	144	2.3	3.4	205