Lincoln County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.9% in May, essentially unchanged from 5.0% in April. It was 7.3% the year before. The statewide unemployment rate was 3.6% in May, and the national rate was 3.6% as well. Seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment increased by 50 in May to 17,730 jobs. Seasonally adjusted figures compare expected changes with actual changes. A gain of 260 jobs was expected for the month, but the county’s total nonfarm employment rose by 310. The private sector added 230 jobs. Government employment climbed up by 80. The leisure and hospitality sector added 120 jobs. Food manufacturing grew by 80 jobs. Local government was up 70 jobs.
Other industries had smaller changes. May’s total nonfarm employment numbers show a gain of 220 jobs compared with one year before, an increase of 1.3%. The county lost 4,880 jobs in April 2020 as the pandemic hit, and it remains 1,120 jobs below its pre-pandemic employment of May 2019. Leisure and hospitality recovered 400 jobs compared with the year before. Private education and health services cut 70 jobs over the year, and retail trade lost 50 jobs over the year. Local government education added 50 jobs. Most industries had smaller employment changes over the past year.
