Wyoming’s unemployment rate fell one-half percentage point from June to July, marking the continuation of a steady decrease since its peak at 9.6% in April.
The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services announced Tuesday that the state’s economy is gradually recovering from the large disruptions related to the coronavirus pandemic.
The unemployment rate fell from 7.6% in June to 7.1% in July. Unemployment rates fell in all 23 counties over that one-month period.
The largest unemployment rate decreases occurred in Teton County (from 9.4% to 5.7%), Lincoln County (from 6.7% to 5.4%), Carbon County (from 5.8% to 4.7%), Sublette County (from 8.4% to 7.5%) and Laramie County (from 6.7% to 5.8%).
Compared to last year, however, unemployment rates were higher in every county.
The largest increases in unemployment over the last year were seen in Natrona County (up from 3.7% to 10.2%), Sweetwater County (up from 3.9% to 8.8%), Converse County (up from 2.6% to 7%) and Uinta County (up from 3.9% to 8%).
The smallest unemployment increases over the last year were seen in Albany County (up from 3.6% to 3.9%), Goshen County (up from 3.7% to 4.7%) and Crook County (up from 3.4% to 4.4%).
Albany County’s rate of 3.9% was the lowest unemployment rate in Wyoming, followed by Niobrara County at 4.3%, Crook County at 4.4% and Weston County at 4.6%.
The highest unemployment rates in the state were found in Natrona County at 10.2%, Campbell and Sweetwater counties, both at 8.8% and Uinta County at 8%.
Total non-farm employment in Wyoming (not seasonally adjusted and measured by place of work) decreased from 297,200 in July 2019 to 276,700 in July 2020, a decline of 20,500 jobs (6.9%).
