GILLETTE, Wyo. — The Wyoming labor market remained healthy at the end of 2024; however, mining, the state’s pivotal industry, remained down thousands of jobs compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to the Wyoming Economic Analysis Division.
According to the EAD’s latest economic summary report, mining remained 19.6%, or 3,900 jobs, below the 2019 pre-COVID period at the end of 2024. Approximately 500 mining jobs were lost between the fourth quarters of 2023 and 2024, a decrease of around 2.8%.
While the state’s pivotal industry experienced an employment decline, nearly every other employment sector experienced growth, and the state unemployment rate remained significantly lower than the national rate, though unemployment did rise slightly to 3.5%, the EAD says.
Payroll jobs increased in most sectors, with construction showing the most growth at 4.9%, or 1,100 jobs. Next highest was the government sector — including education and local hospitals — that saw a 2.4% increase, or around 1,700 jobs, the report states.
Additional increases were found in sectors like retail trade, professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality, per the EAD, though decreases were reported in information, financial activities and other services.
Manufacturing, wholesale trade, transport and utilities, and private education and health services all showed no or minimal change, according to the report.
