RBC I The unemployment figures for Rio Blanco continued to drop in October, making it nearly a year since the county has had to report a rise or even steady rate for the jobless.
The State of Colorado also continues to report a drop in the non-seasonally adjusted rate, dropping to 3.7 percent in October compared to 6.3 percent in October 2013.
Rio Blanco County has dropped for roughly 12 straight months to 2.6 percent in October compared to 4.6 percent in October 2013. In Rio Blanco County in September, the jobless rate was 2.7 percent.
In October this year, there were 4,537 in the available county work force, 4,421 were employed with only 116 residents on unemployment for a total of 2.7 percent jobless rate. In September, there were 4,656 persons in the available work force, 4,532 of those holding jobs and 124 being listed as unemployed. That was a rate of 2.7 percent.
In October 2013, there were 4,526 persons considered to be in the work force with 4,319 holding down jobs. That month had 207 listed as unemployed for a jobless rate of 4.6 percent.
The figures for Colorado are also down over the year and over September.
In October, there were 2,818,146 in the available state workforce. Of those, 2,713,183 were employed with a jobless number of 104,963 and an unemployment rate of 3.7 percent. In September, there were 2,814,007s in the available state workforce with 2,701,634 holding jobs and 112,373 who were jobless, for a rate of 4.0.
In October of 2013, there were 2,757,361 in the available state workforce, and of those there were 2,583,954 employed. There were 173,407 unemployed in the workforce for a rate statewide of 6.3 percent.
Statewide, there were seven of 64 Colorado counties with an unemployment rate at 5 percent or higher, with only Costillo County (San Luis) over 6 percent, reporting in at 6.9 percent unemployed.
The other six counties with a jobless rate above 5 percent were: No. 2 (tie) Huerfano (Walsenburg) and Crowley (Ordway) counties at 5.5 percent; No. 4 Pitkin County (Aspen) at 5.4 percent; No. 5 (tie) Fremont County (Cañon City) and Pueblo County (Pueblo) at 5.2 percent; and No. 7 Saguache County (Saguache) with 5.0 percent.
There were six Colorado counties in October with jobless rates of 2.0 percent or lower. The lowest jobless rate belonged to Jackson County (Hayden) with an unemployment rate of 1.4 percent.
The other five counties with the lowest jobless rates were: Cheyenne County (Cheyenne Wells) with a 1.6 percent rate; No. 3 Baca County (Springfield) with 1.7 percent unemployed; No. 4. Yuma (Wray) with 1.8 percent; and No. 5 (tie) Phillips (Holyoke) and Hinsdale (Lake City) counties at 2.0 percent.
