County unemployment up in January

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
After months of having the lowest unemployment rate in the state, Weston County’s unemployment rate increased to 3.2% in January, according to the March 10 report from the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Research and Planning Division. Despite the increase, the county’s unemployment rate still remains lower than both the state and national rates, as well as rates in most counties across the state. 
“Most county unemployment rates followed their normal seasonal pattern and increased from December to January. Cold weather and the end of the holiday shopping season often bring seasonal job losses in January in many sectors including construction, retail trade, government, and professional and business services,” the report says. 
Wyoming’s unemployment rate reached 4.3% in January, up from 3.7%, and the national unemployment rate sat at 4%, up from 3.4% in December.
“Sublette County posted the highest unemployment rate in January at 5.9%. It was followed by Fremont County at 5.6% and Big Horn and Sweetwater counties, each at 5.4%,” the report says. “The lowest unemployment rates occurred in Teton County at 2.7%, Converse County at 3%, Crook County at 3.1% and Weston County at 3.2%.”
With a labor force totaling 3,835 in January, 121 individuals were without jobs in the county. During December, the labor force was listed at 3,793 with only 97 people unemployed. 
During January of last year, Weston County’s unemployment rate was 3.4%, while the state’s unemployment rate sat at 3.5% and the national rate was 4.4%.