KC Fed: Colorado U-Rate Above US for First Time Since Late 80s

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For only the second time in the last 50 years, Colorado’s unemployment rate exceeds that of the US. An analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City cites downturns in the technology and construction sectors as the principal causes of the elevated u-rate, as employment in these industries is more concentrated in Colorado than in the US. However, the analysis does point to some positive factors such as a growing state labor force, driven by positive net migration, a highly skilled work force, and a higher labor participation rate than that of the US, and concludes that these factors place the state at a “longer-term advantage”.

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