SLV unemployment faring better than nation and Colorado

SAN LUIS VALLEY – Recently released Colorado unemployment figures from the Colorado Department of Labor and Unemployment (CDLU) for April 2020 indicate that the San Luis Valley is more resilient than most of the state. Rural Colorado counties are faring better than more urban and resort counties. The average unemployment rate for Colorado was 12.0 percent in April 2020 and nationwide the figure was 14.7 percent.


The SLV county with the lowest unemployment rate in April 2020 was Saguache with 7.0 percent unemployment. This number, however, will most likely increase due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the county in May. Saguache county is followed by Costilla county with 8.0 percent unemployment, Conejos county at 8.3 percent, Alamosa 9.4 percent and Rio Grande with 10.7 percent unemployment.


Not seasonally adjusted employment numbers from the CDLU show that the total employed workforce for the San Luis Valley in April 2020 was 19,137, with 1,899 unemployed, equaling 9.9 percent of the SLV workforce being unemployed in April.


According to the CDLU, on May 31, 2020, there were 226 job openings advertised online in Alamosa county, 64 job openings in Rio Grande county, 19 job openings in Conejos county, 14 job openings in Costilla county and 25 openings in Saguache county. If all of these jobs were filled our unemployment percentage would drop 1 percent.


In Colorado, Cheyenne county has the lowest unemployment rate with 2.4 percent unemployment. Cheyenne county is followed in increasing order by Kiowa county with 2.6 percent unemployment, Baca 2.7 percent, Yuma 3.3 percent, Washington 3.7 percent and Phillips with 3.8 percent unemployment.


The highest rates of unemployment are found in the counties with affluent resort communities.

Nationwide other affluent resort communities like Sun Valley, Idaho have the highest unemployment rates in the state. Pitkin county, where Aspen is situated, has the highest unemployment rate in the state with 23.1 percent. Pitkin is followed in decreasing order by Gilpin with 23.0 percent unemployment, San Miguel 22.3 percent, Summit 21.1 percent, and Eagle county with 20.5 percent unemployment.