Wyoming Jobless Rate Steady In January

Wyoming's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady in January at 4.8 percent, unchanged from December of 2016.

That's according to David Bullard, Senior Economist with the Research and Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services. Bullard says Natrona County had the highest jobless rate in the state in January at 7.6 percent.

Fremont County was second at 7.5 percent and Campbell County had the third highest unemployment rate at 6.7 percent. Those numbers continue an on-going trend of the highest unemployment in the state being found in counties where the energy sector is dominant.

The lowest jobless rate in the state in January was found in Teton County at 2.9 percent. Niobrara County was next at 3.3 percent. Albany County had the fourth lowest unemployment rate at 3.4 percent. Laramie County's jobless rate was 4.6 percent in January.

While almost all county unemployment rates went up between December and January, Bullard says those numbers are misleading because the county jobless rates, unlike the overall state rate, are not seasonally adjusted.