Counties with the highest unemployment in Colorado

The first jobs report under the new Trump administration showed a stable job market, with the unemployment rate ticking down from 4.1% to 4% in January, the lowest since last May, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released Feb. 7.

The report marks 49 consecutive months of overall job growth, the second-longest recorded period since 1939.

Job losses that did occur were concentrated in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industries, which declined by 8,000 jobs over the month. There was little change in employment in other major industries.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates Colorado, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in December 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.

Key takeaways: Jobs report reveals cooling labor market

January's job growth of 143,000 fell short of expectations, while the downward revision of 589,000 fewer jobs in 2024 suggests the labor market was weaker last year than initially thought.

Business leaders are starting to display more caution, with 67% of executives reporting higher stress levels heading into 2025, according to a survey of 1,000 executives by Sentry, a business insurance company. Among survey respondents, 47% citing economic uncertainty as their biggest concern.

"We have what I would describe as a robust but frozen labor market," Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon, told The New York Times, noting that while unemployment remains low, there's very little churn or employee turnover as "businesses are being cautious as to how they manage their work force."

Moody's Analytics projects monthly payroll gains could slow to around 100,000 by year-end.

The big story: Potential for economic headwinds grows

Behind the "Now Hiring" signs and modest unemployment rate, there's growing concern on Main Street that the economy might be more fragile than it appears.

"You've already got companies hiring as if they're in a recession—even if they're not laying people off," Oliver Allen, senior U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, told CNN. Average unemployment duration, a lagging indicator, rose from 20.8 weeks in January 2024 to 22 in January of this year.

Tightening trade regulations and federal trimming could also have an impact on the job market. Experts predict the U.S. gross domestic product could take a hit due to increased tariffs. The U.S. government is the country's largest employer and contributes 36% to the GDP.

Sudden cuts to federal spending advocated by the new administration could hit the economy hard. One example of the potential fallout is that if prices were to increase further due to higher tariffs, consumer purchasing power would decline, stymieing economic growth.

Whether the effects of slashing the workforce and the budget will be exceeded by Trump's plans to loosen business regulations and cut taxes remains to be seen.

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

50. Hinsdale County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 347 people (12 unemployed)

48. Gunnison County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,893 people (426 unemployed)

48. Kiowa County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 843 people (30 unemployed)

46. Gilpin County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,931 people (147 unemployed)

46. Garfield County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: -0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 33,277 people (1,233 unemployed)

43. Logan County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,114 people (382 unemployed)

43. San Juan County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 551 people (21 unemployed)

43. Moffat County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,123 people (270 unemployed)

39. Morgan County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,408 people (595 unemployed)

39. Elbert County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,995 people (617 unemployed)

39. Lincoln County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,253 people (87 unemployed)

39. Larimer County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 217,669 people (8,575 unemployed)

36. Park County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,637 people (463 unemployed)

36. La Plata County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 31,233 people (1,246 unemployed)

36. Boulder County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 204,144 people (8,258 unemployed)

34. Bent County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,866 people (76 unemployed)

34. Rio Blanco County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,652 people (110 unemployed)

26. Clear Creek County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,180 people (263 unemployed)

26. Douglas County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 209,626 people (8,967 unemployed)

26. Custer County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: -0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,048 people (88 unemployed)

26. Conejos County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: -0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,703 people (161 unemployed)

26. Chaffee County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,230 people (436 unemployed)

26. Dolores County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,059 people (46 unemployed)

26. Jefferson County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 345,301 people (15,011 unemployed)

26. Teller County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,803 people (587 unemployed)

24. Arapahoe County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 377,017 people (16,653 unemployed)

24. Archuleta County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,655 people (290 unemployed)

23. Broomfield County/city

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 42,962 people (1,944 unemployed)

20. El Paso County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 370,534 people (17,213 unemployed)

20. San Miguel County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -2.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,227 people (284 unemployed)

20. Montrose County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,640 people (986 unemployed)

18. Pitkin County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: -1.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,474 people (537 unemployed)

18. Weld County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 173,250 people (8,112 unemployed)

16. Mesa County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 76,116 people (3,668 unemployed)

16. Saguache County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,366 people (161 unemployed)

15. Alamosa County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,653 people (376 unemployed)

12. Adams County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 284,365 people (14,448 unemployed)

12. Denver County/city (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 441,222 people (22,301 unemployed)

12. Mineral County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +3.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 587 people (30 unemployed)

11. Delta County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,986 people (724 unemployed)

10. Montezuma County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,627 people (631 unemployed)

9. Crowley County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,349 people (74 unemployed)

8. Otero County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,666 people (431 unemployed)

7. Ouray County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +2.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,377 people (136 unemployed)

5. Costilla County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,889 people (113 unemployed)

5. Pueblo County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 75,330 people (4,551 unemployed)

4. Rio Grande County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,106 people (313 unemployed)

3. Fremont County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,283 people (940 unemployed)

2. Las Animas County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,785 people (398 unemployed)

1. Huerfano County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,542 people (193 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Ben Popken, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.