Oregon Payrolls Stay Below Last Year Despite Spring Job Gains

Oregon’s job market is stuck – unemployment has sat at 5.2% for five straight months, payrolls remain below last year, and the state is still under the 2 million-job mark nearly two years after its September 2024 peak.

Although non-farm payroll employment rose by 4,200 jobs in April and May, this broad measure of Oregon’s employment is still 9,100 jobs, or 0.5%, below its May 2025 level.

Non-farm payroll employment has remained below the two-million-job mark for the past four years. At 1,977,100, non-farm payroll jobs are down 20,900 from their peak of 1,998,000 in September, 2024.

The Employment Landscape Remains Bleak

Oregon’s employment landscape remains bleak, with nine of the major industries cutting jobs over the past 12 months. Job growth was recorded in only five industries.

Of further concern is that the rapid growth over the last three years in ambulatory healthcare services (medical treatments, diagnoses, and therapies that do not require an overnight hospital stay) is showing signs of slowing down.

However, since October 2025, nursing and residential care facilities added 1,500 jobs, and social assistance a further 4,600.

The manufacturing industry continues its downward spiral, dropping 1,100 jobs in May. This is a pattern that has developed over the last three years.

Durable goods cut 5,900 posts, or 4.7%, while the non-durable goods manufacturing sector cut double that – 2,200 jobs, or 4%.

It is not all doom and gloom, however, with non-farm payroll employment rising by 3,600 jobs. May’s gains were largest in other services, adding 2,000 jobs, and professional and business services, 1,800 jobs.