Oregon Workforce Trends: Portland Growth Among top U.S. Metros in 2022

The Oregon Employment Department reports that November 2022 year-over-year job growth in the Portland metro area grew by 4.8%, tied for 6th place in the nation with Jacksonville, Las Vegas, San Antonio, San Jose, and Atlanta. 

Cities with higher job growth were Dallas at 6.1%, Raleigh and Houston at 5.6%, Charlotte at 5.3%, Nashville at 5.2% and Tampa at 5.1%.

According to Oregon state economist Josh Lehner, the state’s tight labor market is facing the structural-demographic story of increased retirements. Young workers currently outnumber retirements and Oregon’s labor force is expected to grow but will do so at a slower pace than in past decades due to a low birth rate and slower in-migration.