Unemployment rates continue to decline in Longmont

Last week Gov. Jared Polis commended job growth in the state and highlighted the continuing decline in unemployment rates.

“Colorado is hiring. Every day more Coloradans are joining innovative companies, starting new careers or growing small businesses. As we head into 2022, I will work hard to save Colorado families and individuals money on fees and other costs,” Polis said in a news release.

According to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment unemployment is down to 5.1% as of November, from 5.4% the month prior. The national unemployment fell to 4.2% as of November, down from 4.6%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS.

Stephanie Pitts-Noggle, an economic development specialist with Longmont Economic Development Partnership, said Longmont’s unemployment numbers were closer to the national numbers based on the most recent data from the BLS. 

“The unemployment rate for Longmont was 4.2% in October, which translated to approximately 2,338 people looking for work,” Pitts-Noggle said. “This is down from 4.4% in September, which is itself down from 5.1% in August.”

According to the statement from Polis, Colorado has seen a steady rate of job growth over the past 19 months. Between February and April 2020, Colorado lost 375,800 nonfarm payroll jobs. In the time since, 322,200 jobs have returned to the state, Polis said.