Garfield County’s labor market continues to see a slow but steady increase in employment, according to the August 2025 Garfield County Economic Update released by Colorado Mesa University’s Davis School of Business.

CMU economics professor Nathan Perry, who compiles and analyzes the data, said Garfield County peaked with an annual employment average of 31,542 in 2019, then fell to 28,830 in 2021, but has now risen to a 2025 average of 33,320 through June. He wrote the June employment number was 34,089, the highest since July of 2018. Unemployment is staying low, with June unemployment rate of 3.2 percent, significantly lower than the nation and Mesa County.

The biggest jobs gains were in construction (337) and administrative and waste services (262). The biggest job losses were in arts, entertainment, and recreation (minus 88), and utilities (minus 26).

Overall job and wage gains were strong year over year, Perry wrote.

Perry noted the employment data is from the state and has a fairly small sample size at the county level. Employment estimates are by place of residence, and individuals are counted as employed once even if they have multiple jobs.

A couple other indicators that Perry highlighted were:

• Garfield County new business entity filings are on pace to surpass the 2024 number of 1,735, with 1,176 business entity filings through May already.
• Rifle sales taxes are up 2.7 percent through June, while Garfield County sales taxes are only up 0.8 percent.

“Sales tax stagnation reflects a consumer that is pulling back due to inflation and labor market fears,” Perry wrote.

Glenwood Springs sales tax is up 2.9 percent, comparing 2023 to 2024. Perry noted Rifle and Garfield County data are current through 2025, while Glenwood Springs data is only through 2024.