Wyoming
Casper area sees slight unemployment rise from last year as overall economy improves
CASPER, Wyo. — According to data from the Wyoming Economic Analysis Division, Natrona County’s unemployment rate at the end of September is slightly up from the same point in 2023, as well as the state’s average at the same point.
At the end of September, Natrona County’s unemployment rate was 2.9%. At the same point in 2023, the county’s rate was 2.6%. And in the most recent survey, Wyoming’s unemployment rate also sat at 2.6%. The state’s unemployment rate is down 1% from the same point in 2023.
Despite the slight rise in unemployment in the Casper area community, the report found that the economy is steadily improving. The Economic Analysis Division measures counties’ economic stability with an economic health index that looks at a variety of factors. In every indicator except for the unemployment rate, Natrona County saw improvement.
In addition to the unemployment rate, the economic health index considers the total nonfarm employment, the sales and use tax and the average home value.
Despite the unemployment rate rising by 0.3%, the total number of employed Natrona County residents grew by about 1.2%. Overall, the number of nonfarm payroll jobs in the county was 40,800 in September.
Sales and use taxes grew approximately 5.1%, and Natrona County’s collection of the 4% sales and use tax was reported at $10.3 million in September 2024.
The average Natrona County home value rose 2.2% from 2023 to 2024. According to the report, the average home value is $296,100.
However, because sales and use tax collections the county receives for a given month represent transactions that took place four to six weeks prior, the tax collection data lags by one month in the economic health index model.
Employment in Wyoming totaled 295,900 jobs at the end of September, up 2,800 from the same point last year.
“Total employment continues to increase year-over-year, but at a slowing rate,” Economic Analysis Division economist Dylan Bainer said.
Statewide, private education and health fields added the most jobs in the past year.