Year in Review 2023 Benton County
April 25, 2024Revised payroll employment estimates for 2023 show that Oregon’s job growth slowed from its growth in 2022.
On an annual average basis, Oregon’s payroll employment grew 33,700 jobs or 1.7% in 2023. That compares with a gain of 69,200 jobs or 3.7% in 2022.
Benton County followed Oregon’s lead, showing slower job growth in 2023. Benton County’s payroll employment was up 3.7% in 2023. The county’s total nonfarm employment increased 1,600 jobs in 2023 after adding 2,230 jobs or 5.5 % in 2022.
Benton County’s employment is now far past its pre-recession employment peak. Benton County’s annual 2023 total employment was 1,110 jobs or 2.6% above the annual employment in 2019, prior to the pandemic.
In 2023 Benton County’s private sector employment grew 400 or 1.4% and public sector employment was up 1,190 or 8.1%. There were significant changes at the industry level.
Manufacturing in Benton County experienced the largest private sector employment losses in 2023, shedding 170 jobs or -5.5%.
Financial activities and trade transportation, and utilities each shed 30 jobs in 2023. Leisure and hospitality employment was down 20 or -0.5% in 2023.
Health care and social assistance showed the fastest private sector employment growth in Benton County. The sector added 390 jobs to grow 6.2% in 2023. However, the sector’s employment remains nearly 200 jobs below its pre-pandemic level in 2019.
Professional and business services showed employment growth in 2023, adding 130 jobs or +2.9% in 2023. The sector also gained 130 jobs in 2022.
The public sector as a whole added employment in 2023, but employment growth varied between the three branches. Local government added 1,130 jobs or +8.1% in 2023. Most of those gains were in local education.
State government in Benton County added 50 jobs, up 18.5% in 2023. Federal government employment was up 20 or +4.1% in 2023.
Benchmarking Process
The newly revised payroll employment numbers are the result of the annual benchmarking process. This revision process is conducted by the Oregon Employment Department staff in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment numbers for both 2022 and 2023 are revised. For the monthly data through September 2023, original survey-based estimates were replaced with universe employment counts from the Unemployment Insurance tax system. Numbers from October through December 2023 were then re-estimated using sample employment data from a survey of businesses.