Oregon Nonfarm Payrolls Fall by 4,100 in July Amid Sector-Wide Job Losses

Oregon's nonfarm payroll employment declined by 4,100 jobs in July, according to a report from the Oregon Employment Department. This drop followed a revised gain of 1,300 jobs in June. The job losses were mainly in professional and business services, which fell by 1,800 jobs.

Leisure and hospitality also shed 900 jobs, while government employment declined by 700 jobs. However, retail trade posted the biggest gain, adding 500 jobs. Over the past year, professional and business services have continued to decline, with a total loss of 2,500 jobs.

The Oregon Employment Department's report noted that leisure and hospitality employed 203,800 people in July, which was 3,500 jobs below its average from 2023 through 2025. Despite the recent weakness, arts, entertainment, and recreation added 200 jobs in July to reach a record high of 31,300.

The government sector has also seen significant job losses over the year, with Oregon's government employment declining by 4,500 jobs since July 2025. Retail trade's gain came against a longer-term downward trend, with the sector employing 198,000 people in July, down 12,700 jobs from July 2022.