Department of Numbers

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, Oregon Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Portland fell 0.2 percentage points in May 2023 to 3.6%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.1 percentage points lower than the Oregon rate. The unemployment rate in Portland peaked in April 2020 at 13.3% and is now 9.7 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.6% in January 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.0 percentage points. You can also compare Portland unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate May 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% +0.3 +0.1
Oregon 3.7% -0.3 0.0
Portland 3.6% -0.2 0.0
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with May 2023 data as June 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 April 2020 at 171,373. There are now 122,666 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 48,313 in March 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 394. Portland employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Portland, Oregon) is also available.

Unemployed Persons May 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Portland 48,707 -2,675 -852

Number of Unemployed Persons

Portland, Oregon Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Oregon
Unemployment Rate
Portland
Unemployment Rate
Portland
Unemployed
June
2023
3.6%
May
2023
3.7% 3.7% 3.6% 48,707
April
2023
3.4% 4.0% 3.8% 51,382
March
2023
3.5% 4.4% 4.1% 55,662
February
2023
3.6% 4.7% 4.3% 59,192
January
2023
3.4% 4.8% 4.4% 59,917
December
2022
3.5% 4.8% 4.3% 59,813
November
2022
3.6% 4.8% 4.4% 60,149
October
2022
3.7% 4.8% 4.4% 60,153
September
2022
3.5% 4.6% 4.3% 58,676
August
2022
3.7% 4.3% 4.1% 56,404
July
2022
3.5% 4.1% 3.9% 53,739

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.