Although Oregon's unemployment rate is back below 8 percent, 18 of the state's 31 labor market regions had double-digit unemployment rates in January.
Oregon's rate rose in January to 7.7 percent after several months of decline.
Grant County registered Oregon's highest unemployment rate in January at 16.4 percent, according to a report by the state Employment Department.
Unlike statewide unemployment rates, the rates for local labor markets are not adjusted for typical seasonal swings. These rates typically rise in January due to the end of holiday retail jobs and some other seasonal jobs.
In addition to Grant County, areas with especially high unemployment rates included Wasco County (14.9 percent), Wallowa County (14.6 percent), Lake County (14.6 percent) and Harney County (14.2 percent).
January's lowest rate in the state was in Benton County (4.6 percent), which includes the Corvallis area.
In January of 2003, 17 areas had rates of 10 percent or higher.
Baker, Jefferson and Sherman counties had unemployment rates in January 2004 that were at least one percentage point lower than in January 2003. However, six areas had rates at least one percentage point higher: Douglas, Hood River, Malheur, Wallowa, Wasco, and Wheeler counties. The remaining 22 areas -- including the state's five largest cities -- had January 2004 rates that were within one percentage point of their January 2003 rates.
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