County enjoys employment bump

The latest figures from the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services shows that Crook County enjoyed an employment bump last year.

The county saw a 4.5% increase in employment between the end of 2021 and the fourth quarter of 2022, which equals 112 more jobs. Of those, 102 were in private industries.

Payroll also headed in an upwards direction, increasing by over $2 million, or 6.4%, between the end of 2021 and the fourth quarter of 2022, bringing total wages in the county to $34,223,596.

The average weekly wage in Crook County increased by 1.8% from $990 to $1008.

The most significant increase in jobs by percentage growth was in administrative and waste services, which saw its workforce increase by 52.3%, a total of 12 jobs. Arts, entertainment and recreation meanwhile saw a 27.1% increase (from 12 to 16 jobs) within the museums, historical sites and parks sector.

But while these percentages are large, they represent relatively small numbers of jobs. On the other hand, although it was only a 7.5% increase, one of the biggest boosts to the workforce was in mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction, which gained 24 workers over the year – a 7.5% increase.

Professional, scientific and technical services grew by 16.9%, or a total of 12 new jobs, while healthcare and social assistance added 13 new jobs, representing 11.8%. Accommodation and food services saw 17 new jobs, an 8.5% increase.

The wholesale trade also saw a 7.5% increase, from 71 to 75 jobs.

Within public administration, the number of jobs in administration of economic programs rose from three to six, while an added 19 jobs bumped the “executive, legislative and general government” category up by 19.3%.

Employment in some sectors, on the other hand, shrank over the year. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting lost six jobs (a 10.8% drop), for example, with the majority of that in forestry and logging, which lost four jobs.

Construction jobs fell by 11, mostly in the specialty trade contractor category. Six jobs were lost in state government (in the administration of economic programs sector), four jobs each in manufacturing and finance and insurance, three in the retail trade and two in transportation and warehousing.

Overall, Wyoming added 5292 jobs between the fourth quarters of 2021 and 2022, a 2% increase, and payroll rose by $58.8 million, or 1.5%. However, the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services says that employment has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels, and was still down in the fourth quarter of 2022 by around 3600 from the fourth quarter of 2019.