Phil Castle, The Business Times

The monthly unemployment rate dropped for a second straight month in Mesa County as seasonal hiring heated up along with spring weather.

“A seasonal increase in hiring and lower unemployment rate is typical for this time of year,” said Tabi Britt, employment services supervisor at the Mesa County Workforce Center in Grand Junction.

Britt attributed more than half of the latest drop in unemployment to people getting jobs.

The seasonally unadjusted jobless rate in Mesa County fell seven-tenths of a point to 3.6 percent in April, according to estimates from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. With declines in each of the last two months, the jobless rate has retreated more than a point from 4.7 percent in February. The rate was even lower at this time last year, though, at 2.9 percent.

Between March and April 2024, Mesa County payrolls increased 356 to 73,291. The number of people counted among those unsuccessfully looking for work decreased 550 to 2,718. The labor force, which includes the employed and unemployed, edged down 194 to 76,009.

Over the past year, payrolls decreased 563. The ranks of the unemployed increased 487. The labor force slipped 76.

Britt said minimal changes in the labor force could be attributed to what’s likely a combination of causes — retirements, relocations and temporary exits from the workforce — rather than any significant event or trend.

Moreover, labor demand as measured by the number of job orders posted at the Mesa County Workforce Center, remains strong, she said.

The 928 job orders posted in April constituted a 24.7 percent increase over the same month last year. A total of 3,689 orders were posted during the first four months of 2024, up 26 percent from the same span in 2023.

“Much of the cumulative difference can be attributed to a slow start in 2023, with a smaller number of jobs posted in January and February compared to trends in both 2022 and 2024,” Britt said.

Looking ahead, Britt said she expects the typical labor trends to continue in Mesa County with increased hiring in spring and summer and lower unemployment rates. “I anticipate continued stability in the near future.”

Seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates also declined in neighboring western Colorado counties in March — 1.1 points to 3.5 percent in Delta County, eight-tenths of a point to 3.3 percent in Montrose County, and six-tenths of a percent to 2.8 percent in Garfield County and 3.5 percent in Rio Blanco County.

The statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent.

According to the latest results of household surveys, the number of employed people in Colorado decreased 400 between March and April even as the number of unemployed people increased 1,900.

The labor participation rate — the proportion of the population working or looking for work — held steady at 68 percent. That outpaced the national rate of 62.7 percent.

According to the results of separate business surveys, nonfarm payrolls increased 300. A gain of 900 government jobs more than offset a loss of 600 private sector jobs. While employment increased 4,600 in educational and health services in April, employment decreased 3,100 in professional and business services ant 1,700 in construction.

Over the past year, nonfarm payrolls increased 51,800 in Colorado — a growth rate of 1.8 percent. Employment increased 19,400 in educational and health services, 7,600 in leisure and hospitality and 5,800 in professional and business services. Government payrolls rose 24,600. Employment decreased 6,000 in the trade, transportation and utilities sector; 4,300 in construction; and 2,500 in information.

The average workweek for Colorado employees on private, nonfarm payrolls lengthened a tenth of an hour over the last year to 33.6  hours. Average hourly earnings increased $2.28 to $38.