Phil Castle, The Business Times

The monthly unemployment rate remained unchanged in Mesa County in October with slight declines in payrolls, but also the number of people looking for work.

Although small changes could occur over the next two months, Lindsay Bullock expects local labor conditions to hold steady through the end of the year. “I think we are staying pretty stable,” said Bullock, manager of the Mesa County Workforce Center in Grand Junction.

The seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.2 percent in October after the rate for September was revised downward a tenth of a point, according to the latest estimates from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. At this time last year, the jobless rate was even lower at 2.9 percent.

Between September and October, Mesa County payrolls decreased 243 to 75,345. But the number of people counted among those unsuccessfully looking for work also decreased —  42 to 2,494. The labor force, which includes the employed and unemployed, declined 285 to 77,839.

Over the past year, payrolls edged up 237 even as the ranks of the unemployed grew 244. The labor force increased 481.

The number of job orders posted at the Mesa County Workforce Center — one measure of local labor demand — decreased between September and October. But at 1,002, orders remained above 1,000 for a third consecutive month. Through the first 10 months of 2023, 9,002 orders were posted. That’s an increase of more than 10 percent from the same span in 2022.

Bullock said labor demand remains strongest for jobs in the health care sector, including positions in behavioral health care.

The labor market remains tight in some sectors, although retailers were able to fill positions for the holiday shopping season, she said.

Looking ahead, Bullock said she expects no big changes in the unemployment rate over the next two months. The jobless rate historically spikes in January, however, because of layoffs following the holidays and colder weather that affects construction and other outdoor jobs.

Over the longer-term, Bullock said she’s encouraged the relocation and expansion of businesses will bring more jobs to Mesa County. “There are exciting things happening around here.”

The seasonally unadjusted jobless rate edged up a tenth of a point to 2.8 percent in Garfield County in October, but edged down in other neighboring Western Colorado counties — two-tenths to 3.4 percent in Delta County and a tenth to 3 percent in Montrose County and 2.7 percent in Rio Blanco County.

The statewide seasonally adjusted jobless rate rose a tenth of a point to 3.3 percent with declines in the number of employed and labor force and an increase in the ranks of the unemployed.

The number of people counted among those unsuccessfully looking for work increased 2,400 between September and October to 105,900. The number of those employed decreased 8,000 to more than 3.1 million. The labor force decreased 5,600.

Nonfarm payrolls increased 1,500 with gains in government employment more than offsetting losses in the private sector.

Over the past year, nonfarm payrolls increased 33,100 — a gain of 1.1 percent — with the largest gains in the leisure and hospitality, education and health services and professional and business services sectors. Payrolls declined in the construction, financial activities and information sectors as well as the trade, transportation and utilities sector.

The average workweek for employees on private, nonfarm payrolls edged up a tenth of an hour to 34.1 hours. Average hourly earnings rose $1.23 to $36.31.