This past month Coloradans took special notice when the unemployment rate was announced because it matched the U.S. rate. The July seasonally adjusted rate for both was 8.3%.
In July, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that there were 13.4 million unemployed Americans, based on the non-seasonally adjusted rate (NAR) of 8.6%. This is slightly higher than the more frequently publicized seasonally adjusted rate (SAR) of 8.3%.
A closer look at the data shows distinct differences based on demographics and geography.
Gender
• 6.9 million men unemployed with a NAR of 8.2%.
• 6.5 million women unemployed with a NAR of 9.0%.
Race
• .5 million unemployed Asians with a NAR of 6.2%.
• 9.5 million unemployed Whites with a NAR of 7.6%.
• 2.8 million unemployed African-Americans with a NAR of 15.0%.
Ethnic Origins
• 2.5 million unemployed Latinos with a NAR of 10.3%.
Age Groups
• 4.0 million unemployed, 16-24 years old, with a NAR of 17.1%.
• 2.8 million unemployed, 25-34 years old, with a NAR of 8.3%.
• 2.2 million unemployed, 35-44 years old, with a NAR of 6.8%.
• 2.3 million unemployed, 45-54 years old, with a NAR of 6.6%.
• 1.5 million unemployed, 55-64 years old, with a NAR of 6.3%.
• .5 million unemployed, 65+ years old, with a NAR of 7.2%.
Marital Status
• 4.4 million unemployed married people, spouse present with a NAR of 5.4%.
Despite a steady recovery, there are segments of the population that have not found jobs.
Geographic rates are available for Colorado. In July both the NAR and SAR were coincidently 8.3%.
Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs)
• The NARs for the Boulder and Fort Collins MSAs were less than 8.3%
• The NAR for the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield MSA was 8.3%.
• The NARs for the Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Greeley, and Grand Junction MSAs were greater than 8.3%.
Counties (Most recent data is June 2012).
• Colorado has 64 counties, 25 have NARs greater than the state average and 1 has a NAR equal to the state rate.
• Seventeen of Colorado’s counties are part of the MSAs. Seven of the 17 have NARs greater than the state average.
• Of the 47 rural counties, 28 have NARs less than the state average, 1 has a rate equal to the state NAR, and 18 have NARs below the state average.
• Most of the rural counties with higher than average unemployment rates are on the Western Slope or the south/southwest part of the state.
Cities with populations greater than 25,000 people (Most recent data is June 2012).
• The NARs for Arvada, Boulder, Broomfield, Castle Rock, Fort Collins, Lafayette, Longmont, Loveland, Parker, and Westminster were less than 8.3%
• The NAR for Lakewood was 8.3%.
• The NARs for Aurora, Brighton, Centennial, Colorado Springs, Commerce City, Denver, Englewood, Fountain, Grand Junction, Greeley, Northglenn, Pueblo, Thornton, and Wheat Ridge.
While the state has been steadily adding jobs for two years, there are clearly parts of the state where the economy has not recovered.
For additional information on the Colorado go to https://cber.co/CBEReconomy.html.
©Copyright 2011 by CBER.