Counties with the highest unemployment in Colorado
In November, the national unemployment rate changed very little from October, rising from 4.1% to 4.2%. It's been slightly elevated in recent months compared to levels a year ago—likely a symptom of the Federal Reserve's higher interest rates, which can slow hiring and decrease job openings. It's up from 3.7% the year before, but for 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%.
To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Colorado using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in October 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.
Despite the slight uptick in unemployment, the labor market added 227,000 jobs in November, according to the BLS.
In the private sector, employment increased by 146,000 jobs, with 50,000 jobs added in education and health services and another 28,000 jobs in trade, transportation, and utilities, according to ADP's National Employment Report. While Sun Belt states saw growth in manufacturing roles, other jobs diminished in the sector across the Rust Belt, which continues to see losses.
The labor market forecast for 2025 is still somewhat uncertain. The reelection of Donald Trump and his proposal to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico may send ripples throughout the economy. A tariff increase could create an inflationary environment, shifting the labor market as inflation inches toward the 2% goal.
To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Colorado.
#25. Teller County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,889 people (592 unemployed)
#24. Douglas County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 212,058 people (9,016 unemployed)
#23. Jefferson County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 348,664 people (14,829 unemployed)
#22. Arapahoe County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 380,708 people (16,356 unemployed)
#21. Broomfield County/city
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 43,455 people (1,896 unemployed)
#20. Mesa County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 77,529 people (3,406 unemployed)
#19. Delta County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,422 people (645 unemployed)
#18. Weld County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 176,628 people (7,929 unemployed)
#17. El Paso County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 374,395 people (16,853 unemployed)
#16. Ouray County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,488 people (115 unemployed)
#15. Alamosa County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,919 people (365 unemployed)
#14. Montezuma County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,018 people (548 unemployed)
#13. Custer County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,086 people (97 unemployed)
#12. Denver County/city
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 444,754 people (21,096 unemployed)
#11. Mineral County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 458 people (22 unemployed)
#10. Adams County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 287,345 people (13,748 unemployed)
#9. Costilla County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,931 people (97 unemployed)
#8. Rio Grande County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,345 people (267 unemployed)
#7. Otero County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,868 people (413 unemployed)
#6. Pitkin County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,864 people (580 unemployed)
#5. Crowley County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,383 people (75 unemployed)
#4. Pueblo County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 76,545 people (4,445 unemployed)
#3. Huerfano County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,592 people (167 unemployed)
#2. Fremont County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,439 people (924 unemployed)
#1. Las Animas County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,881 people (382 unemployed)
This story features data reporting and writing by Dom DiFurio and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
