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A view of Portland\u2019s skyline from Pittock Mansion in the West Hills, July 29, 2025.<\/p>\n
Kristyna Wentz-Graff \/ OPB<\/p>\n
Oregon\u2019s unemployment rate stayed flat at 5.2% in December, according to the latest report from the Oregon Employment Department.<\/p>\n
The rate has remained unchanged since September.<\/p>\n
Flat unemployment may not seem a good trend, but State Employment Economist Gail Krumenauer says it is.<\/p>\n
\u201cOregon\u2019s unemployment rate had been ticking up slightly each month throughout the year,\u201d said Krumenauer. \u201cSo to see the unemployment rate level off is a bit more stable compared to what we saw throughout much of 2025.\u201d<\/p>\n
The report showed a seasonally-adjusted loss of 2,200 jobs in December, with outsized losses in a handful of sectors, notably two areas that are typically strong during the month.<\/p>\n
Both the retail trade and transportation, warehousing and utilities sectors gained 900 jobs fewer than what is considered normal for December.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Krumenauer said that was likely a sign of longer term trends, including a decrease in retail shopping as people shift to more online shopping. She also said that jobs in transportation and warehousing have stayed flat since a boom between 2020 and 2022, which was caused by a growth in online shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
Another area that was weaker than normal in the December job numbers was construction. December tends to be a slow season for construction in Oregon as winter rain and snow hinders outdoor work.<\/p>\n
Normal seasonal losses due to the slowdown would be 2,900 jobs in December, but this year saw a decrease of 5,400.<\/p>\n
Zac Ziegler is a reporter with KLCC<\/a>. This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.<\/p>\n