Department of Numbers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, Oregon Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Portland fell 0.3 percentage points in December 2011 to 8.5%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.4 percentage points lower than the Oregon rate. The unemployment rate in Portland peaked in June 2009 at 11.2% and is now 2.7 percentage points lower. You can also compare Portland unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate December 2011 Month/Month Year/Year
National 8.5% -0.2 -0.9
Oregon 8.9% -0.2 -1.7
Portland 8.5% -0.3 -1.8
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with December 2011 data as January metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Portland, Oregon, National

Portland, Oregon monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Portland, Oregon Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Portland peaked in June 2009 at 133,035. There are now 31,327 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Portland employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Portland, Oregon) is also available.

Unemployed Persons December 2011 Month/Month Year/Year
Portland 101,708 -3,799 -21,443

Number of Unemployed Persons

Portland, Oregon Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Oregon
Unemployment Rate
Portland
Unemployment Rate
Portland
Unemployed
January
2012
8.3%
December
2011
8.5% 8.9% 8.5% 101,708
November
2011
8.7% 9.1% 8.8% 105,507
October
2011
8.9% 9.5% 9.2% 109,832
September
2011
9.0% 9.6% 9.2% 110,079
August
2011
9.1% 9.6% 9.2% 109,877
July
2011
9.1% 9.5% 9.2% 109,650
June
2011
9.1% 9.4% 9.2% 109,555
May
2011
9.0% 9.3% 9.0% 108,044
April
2011
9.0% 9.5% 9.2% 109,643
March
2011
8.9% 9.9% 9.4% 112,712
February
2011
9.0% 10.2% 9.8% 116,645
January
2011
9.1% 10.4% 10.1% 120,179

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers.