Published Jul-1-2010
In Grant County, the unemployment rate climbed to an average of 13.4 percent in 2009, the highest since 1998. The rate subsided a bit through the first five months of 2010 but remained squarely in double-digit territory. Nonfarm employment declined in Grant County for the fifth consecutive year in 2009, the longest ongoing downtrend anywhere in Oregon. By early 2010, most industries in Grant County had stopped shrinking, but manufacturing - where the descent continues - was a notable exception.
In Harney County, 2009's annual average unemployment rate of 16.1 percent was the county's nastiest number in 28 years and second only to Crook County's 17.9 percent. Crook and Harney continued to rank first and second in unemployment through the first five months of 2010, though the rates are receding in both counties. Total nonfarm payroll employment in Harney County dropped to a 23-year low in 2009. Through the first five months of 2010, the annualized rate of employment decline diminished to less than 3 percent but was a decline nonetheless.
In Malheur County, the unemployment rate averaged 10.8 percent in 2009, the county's worst figure in 24 years. Monthly jobless rates through the first five months of 2010 were about half a percentage point lower, on average, than in the corresponding period of 2009. In 2009, Malheur County's nonfarm payroll employment fell to its lowest level since 1996, with retail jobs taking the hardest hit. For the most part, the worst of the downturn appears to be over in Malheur County, but no significant upturn had commenced as of early-to-mid 2010.
The economy of Southeast Oregon is very seasonal. More often than not, the time of year has much more influence on employment opportunities in this region than does the overall health of the economy. Typically, late spring through mid-autumn offer the best job prospects in Grant and Harney counties, while peak season in Malheur County comes later. Unemployment is high for much of the rest of the year.