Eastern Oregon Workforce Growing Most Rapidly Among the Youngest and Oldest
May 13, 2025From 2014 to 2024, Eastern Oregon’s employment grew by about 11%. However, employment growth varied widely by age group. While most age groups saw growth over that period, employment for workers age 45 to 54 had the smallest increase and employment for workers age 55 to 64 declined. The most rapid growth occurred at the two ends of the age spectrum.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Quarterly Workforce Indicators, annual average employment for Eastern Oregon (Baker, Grant, Harney, Malheur, Morrow, Umatilla, Union, and Wallowa counties) grew from 67,178 in 2014 to 74,588 in 2024. The only age group with declining employment over the period was the 55 to 64-year-old group, falling from 12,810 in 2014 to 12,219 in 2024, a decline of over 4%.
In 2014, the 45 to 54-year-old age group held the largest number of jobs in Eastern Oregon at 14,690, representing just below 22% of the area’s total employment. Employment of workers in this age group rose by just 2% or 14,981 jobs between 2014 and 2024 and its share of total employment in Eastern Oregon decreased to 20%. This slow growth dropped the age group to the second largest number of jobs in Eastern Oregon for 2024, behind the 35 to 44-year-old age group.
During this same period, the most rapid employment growth in Eastern Oregon was among the 14 to 18-year-old age group followed by those workers 65 and over. Employment of those ages 14 to 18 grew from 1,280 in 2014 to 2,312 in 2024, a growth rate of just over 80%. This age group is still the smallest, representing only about 3% of all employment in Eastern Oregon. The 65 and over age group grew by about 58%, rising from 4,482 in 2014 to 7,058 in 2024 to account for about 10% of Eastern Oregon’s employment.
