County’s unemployment still lower than state’s

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
Weston County continued to have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state during the COVID-19 pandemic that shot unemployment rates up across the country. With an unemployment rate of 3.3% in November, according to the most recent report from the Research and Planning Section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, the county had a rate that was lower than both the state and national rates. 
“Wyoming’s unemployment rate has been steadily decreasing since its peak of 9.6% in April and is currently much lower than the U.S. rate of 6.7%,” the report says. “It appears that the state’s economy is recovering from the pandemic related closures seen earlier in the year and that many individuals have returned to work.”
In November, Wyoming’s unemployment rate sat at 5.1%, down from 5.5% in October and September. 
Weston County’s unemployment rate also peaked in April, climbing to 5.7% in the face of business closures. Since that time, the county has seen a steady decrease in the number of unemployed individuals in the county, maintaining one of the lowest rates in the state. 
“Albany County reported the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 3.0% in November. It was followed by Weston and Crook counties, each at 3.3% and Niobrara County at 3.4%,” the report says. “The highest rates were found in Natrona County at 7.0%, Sweetwater County at 6.0%, and Campbell and Teton counties, each at 5.8%.” 
Year over year. Weston County saw a 0.9% increase from November 2019’s rate of 2.4% to 3.3% in November 2020, according to state figures. 
“From November 2019 to November 2020, unemployment rates rose in almost every county,” the report states. “The largest increases occurred in Natrona (up from 4.0% to 7.0%), Campbell (up from 3.2% to 5.8%), Converse (up from 2.8% to 5.1%) and Sweetwater (up from 4.2% to 6.0%) counties. Big Horn County’s unemployment rate fell from 4.0% to 3.8%.”