The number of open jobs in Oregon declined last fall to the lowest number in more than five years, another discouraging signal from the state’s declining labor market.
Oregon employers had just 46,000 job openings last fall, according to new state figures, the fewest since the pandemic. At the same time, Oregon unemployment has risen to its highest level since the pandemic — 5.2%.
The result is that Oregon now has 2.4 unemployed people for each vacant job, according to Anna Johnson of the Oregon Employment Department. That’s a far worse ratio than the U.S. as a whole. Nationally, the number of unemployed is only slightly higher than the number of open jobs.
Oregon’s imbalance reflects steady deterioration in the state’s economy. Employment fell by 0.2% in 2025, the only time that’s happened without a national recession since at least 1990.
Unemployment climbed to 5.2%, its highest level since the pandemic, amid a historic surge of layoffs. Factories shed the most jobs last year amid a prolonged downturn in Oregon’s manufacturing sector, driven by Intel’s mass layoffs and cuts at many other large employers.
There are some hopeful signs for the labor market, though. The unemployment rate has been flat for four months.
And a few sectors are still growing, notably health care. It added 13,000 jobs during 2025 and still has nearly 15,000 vacancies. That reflects Oregon’s aging population, the oldest in the West.
This past week, state economists told a legislative committee they are seeing signs of resilience in Oregon’s economy. The state’s economic output grew faster than the nation’s last summer (fall data isn’t available yet). Employers seem to have adjusted to the trade war and unemployment claims aren’t rising as fast.
“Maybe we are seeing a turning point here where we’re starting to move in a more positive direction,” said state economist Carl Riccadonna. He said recent conversations with the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors have been encouraging, with members reporting that Oregon business leaders are feeling better about their outlook.
“There’s optimism that these large employers are working through their problems, the worst is behind us and the outlook is becoming more constructive,” Riccadonna said.
This is Oregon Insight, The Oregonian’s weekly look at the numbers behind the state’s economy. View past installments here.