Counties with the highest unemployment in Colorado

Written by:
August 30, 2024
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Counties with the highest unemployment in Colorado

Unemployment rates are rising across U.S. metropolitan areas, provoking alarm across the nation and likely leading to interest rate cuts in September.

As of July, unemployment rates increased in 350 out of 389 U.S. metros areas—including 47 of the 51 largest metros, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Colorado, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in July 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

The national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 4.3%. Still, it's up substantially from 3.5% during the same month last year and has climbed to the highest rate since November 2021. By comparison, unemployment rates surged to 10% in October 2009 during the Great Recession, and a full recovery took years. At the height of the brief COVID-19 recession in April 2020, unemployment hit 14.7%.

The Federal Reserve has shifted its focus from curbing inflation to unemployment, indicating plans to cut interest rates in the coming weeks and months to alleviate economic strain and avoid further job losses.

Since last year, unemployment has spiked in over half of states—a signal often indicating a looming recession, as Piper Sandler Chief Global Economist Nancy Lazar told Business Insider. These jobless rates, paired with layoffs among major U.S. employers like Google and Tesla, have sparked concern among Americans. Minus a major economic blow, economists continue to forecast that the U.S. is tracking toward an incremental slowdown in growth known as a "soft landing."

To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Colorado.

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#50. Routt County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,514 people (557 unemployed)

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#49. Eagle County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 35,667 people (1,139 unemployed)

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#48. Grand County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,326 people (336 unemployed)

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#47. Mineral County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 524 people (18 unemployed)

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#46. Dolores County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,128 people (38 unemployed)

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#45. Sedgwick County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,223 people (41 unemployed)

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#44. Lincoln County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,397 people (81 unemployed)

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#43. Park County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,652 people (392 unemployed)

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#42. Garfield County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 33,491 people (1,132 unemployed)

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#41. Bent County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,933 people (68 unemployed)

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#40. Lake County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,098 people (176 unemployed)

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#39. Chaffee County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,033 people (383 unemployed)

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#38. Pitkin County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,371 people (393 unemployed)

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#37. Prowers County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,523 people (236 unemployed)

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#36. Moffat County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,180 people (261 unemployed)

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Cavan-Images // Shutterstock

#35. Elbert County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,292 people (597 unemployed)

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#34. La Plata County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 31,932 people (1,183 unemployed)

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#33. Morgan County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,897 people (597 unemployed)

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#32. Larimer County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 216,578 people (8,165 unemployed)

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#31. Clear Creek County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,222 people (242 unemployed)

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#30. Archuleta County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,909 people (278 unemployed)

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#29. Logan County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,160 people (408 unemployed)

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Maciej Bledowski // Shutterstock

#28. Boulder County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 204,455 people (8,132 unemployed)

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#27. Jefferson County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 347,631 people (13,898 unemployed)

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#26. Teller County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,883 people (569 unemployed)

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#25. Montrose County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,246 people (921 unemployed)

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#24. Broomfield County/city

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 43,304 people (1,775 unemployed)

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#23. Douglas County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 211,570 people (8,629 unemployed)

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#22. Arapahoe County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 379,901 people (15,712 unemployed)

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#21. Ouray County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,670 people (116 unemployed)

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#20. Conejos County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,855 people (164 unemployed)

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#19. Delta County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,522 people (618 unemployed)

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#18. Custer County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,182 people (95 unemployed)

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#17. Montezuma County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,266 people (536 unemployed)

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#16. Weld County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 175,170 people (7,685 unemployed)

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#15. El Paso County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 374,388 people (16,555 unemployed)

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#14. Rio Blanco County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,771 people (125 unemployed)

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#13. Saguache County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,547 people (158 unemployed)

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#12. Denver County/city

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 443,333 people (19,870 unemployed)

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#11. Mesa County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 76,740 people (3,513 unemployed)

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#10. Adams County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 286,716 people (13,219 unemployed)

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#9. Costilla County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,926 people (90 unemployed)

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#8. Alamosa County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,846 people (384 unemployed)

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#7. Rio Grande County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,528 people (287 unemployed)

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#6. Otero County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,722 people (404 unemployed)

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#5. Crowley County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,348 people (71 unemployed)

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#4. Pueblo County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 76,024 people (4,438 unemployed)

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#3. Fremont County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,852 people (882 unemployed)

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#2. Huerfano County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,640 people (173 unemployed)

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#1. Las Animas County

- July unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,877 people (390 unemployed)

This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

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