Salem-area unemployment remained below the statewide rate as local payrolls grew by 4,500 jobs over the past year.
Oregon’s unemployment rate held at 5.2% in June, tying California, Connecticut and Washington for the highest rate among the 50 states and standing a full percentage point above the 4.2% national average.
The statewide figure has remained at 5.2% since May and was unchanged from June 2025. Oregon’s ranking is no longer a brief departure from the norm: the Oregon Employment Department said the state’s rate began rising faster than most states in 2023 and has remained among the nation’s highest since 2025…