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Economic Indicators

In Honor of Juneteenth: Black Oregonians in the Labor Force

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This Friday June 19, celebrate freedom by celebrating Juneteenth! Short for “June Nineteenth,” Juneteenth commemorates the 1865 arrival of federal troops in Galveston, Texas, to ensure that all enslaved people be freed. Their arrival was over two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth is considered the longest-running African-American holiday (read more at

COVID-19 Employment Crisis Continues in May

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“Although Oregon experienced job gains due to the limited resumption of economic activity in May, over the past three months of the COVID-19 pandemic job losses have totaled 243,500. Historically, this loss is unprecedented and currently thousands of Oregonians are still suffering the economic realities of being unemployed,” said Anna Johnson, Senior Economic Analyst with the Oregon Employment

Oregon’s Minimum Wage Increases on July 1, 2020

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Oregon’s minimum wage increases on July 1, 2020, but the raises won’t be the same across the state. The minimum wage increases to $13.25 per hour inside the Portland urban growth boundary, $11.50 per hour in nonurban counties, and $12.00 in other areas of the state.

Oregon’s minimum wage levels were set by Senate Bill 1532 in 2016. The minimum wage increases on July 1 each year through 2022.

April Employment and Unemployment in Oregon’s Counties

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COVID-19 Impact
April seasonally adjusted unemployment rates are not available for Oregon counties due to processing delays caused by large increases in unemployment. Not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates are being used for this news release. They reflect April’s increase in unemployment related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for April will be available on