Tuesday, April 21, 2026 |
Photo – Wind farm – Bigfoot99 file photo
Wyoming’s labor market weakened in the fourth quarter of 2025, mostly because of a decline in the mining and construction industries. The numbers show a 0.3% decrease in total employment—a net loss of 900 jobs–and a slight increase in the unemployment rate to 3.5% compared to 2024.
Wenlin Liu, chief economist with the Wyoming Division of Economic Analysis, said in a news release, “While the state’s unemployment rate remains significantly lower than the U.S. average of 4.4%, the state trailed the national job growth of 0.2%.”
Total taxable sales decreased by 1.6% in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared to the same quarter in the previous year. This marks the seventh consecutive quarter of a year-over-year decline. This weak performance was primarily caused by contractions in wind power projects, which were reflected in the utility (-34.2%) and wholesale trade (-17.8%) sectors.
