Report: Economic Growth Slowing in Multnomah County as Payroll Surges by 6.8%

The State of Oregon is reporting employment growth in Multnomah County slowed from 3.3% in 2015 to 1.8% in 2018, suggesting slowing economic growth. This change occurred even as payroll for Multnomah County surged by 6.8%. One possible explanation, according to State of Oregon workforce analyst Christian Kaylor, is that employers are raising wages to keep workers from leaving for better-paying jobs elsewhere.