Employment

Over the past 30 years, the distribution of wage income in Oregon has generally continued to become more unequal. In 2020, employees who worked all four quarters of the year earned a total of $94.2 billion in covered wages, more than twice the (inflation-adjusted) total earnings of four-quarter workers in…

Amazon will build a five-story, 3.84 million-square-foot fulfillment center in Woodburn on about 90 acres of land that could employ about 1,875 people. This will be one of the largest buildings in Oregon history according to the Bend Bulletin.  Amazon currently employees nearly 13,000 people in Oregon.  They purchased around 130 acres the…

By Brian Rooney Regional Economist Douglas and Lane counties brian.t.rooney@oregon.gov Originally posted at https://www.qualityinfo.org/-/lane-county-building-permits-rose-in-2020-despite-covid-19?inheritRedirect=true&redirect=%2Flane Building permit data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that new housing construction in Lane County, as measured by permits for living units, rose to 1,391 in 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Although only two units…

By Will Burchard Oregon Employment Economist william.g.burchard@oregon.gov Oregon’s minimum wage increases on July 1, 2021, but the raises won’t be the same across the state. The minimum wage increases to $14.00 per hour inside the Portland urban growth boundary, $12.00 per hour in nonurban counties, and $12.75 in other areas…

By Guy Tauer Oregon Regional Economist Coos, Curry, Jackson, and Josephine counties guy.r.tauer@oregon.gov Original posted at https://www.qualityinfo.org/-/oregon-s-marijuana-industry-and-employment-trends Recreational marijuana sales hit a new record high of $110.5 million in April 2021, a 23.5% increase over April 2020 when sales reached $89.7 million. With sales trends going back to 2016, we…

By Erik Knoder Oregon Regional Economist Clatsop, Columbia, Lincoln, and Tillamook counties erik.a.knoder@oregon.gov Originally posted at https://www.qualityinfo.org/-/in-cod-and-crab-we-trust-oregon-s-seafood-processing-industry In 2020, Oregon had 31 employers and 1,192 employees turning slimy fish and armored crustaceans into succulent seafood ready for cooking and eating. These numbers are down from previous years as the industry…

SOBJ June 2021 BY ERIK KNODERREGIONAL ECONOMISTCLATSOP, COLUMBIA, LINCOLN, AND TILLAMOOK COUNTIES Oregon’s Hispanic population continues to increase and so do the number of Hispanics in Oregon’s labor force. The Hispanic population has a higher labor force participation rate and Hispanics are employed at higher rates than whites who are…

by Guy Tauer, Regional Economist Guy.R.Tauer@oregon.gov (541) 816-8396 Total payroll employment in Jackson County rose by 140 jobs in April with most industries showing small changes over the month. Leisure and hospitality added 110 jobs, 50 of those in the accommodation and food services sector. Professional and business services gained…

The newest estimates from Portland State University’s Population Research Center confirm what Oregonians have known for some time: Oregon continued its long population growth streak in the last decade. While population growth can bring negative impacts, like greater competition when purchasing a home or increased traffic congestion, sustained population growth…

As local and statewide economic conditions continue to improve, Oregon’s employers are having a difficult time hiring labor in today’s economy when unemployment levels are markedly higher than they were leading up to the pandemic. Typically after an economic downturn, there’s a greater supply of labor to employ as job…