Colorado’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased slightly to 3.6% in October, up two tenths of a percentage point from the month before, the state Department of Labor and Employment reported Friday.

The labor force in Colorado increased by 1,900 in October to 3,256,900. The number of individuals employed declined by 5,000 to 3,140,400, the jobs report showed. 

Since April, unemployment has ranged between 3.3% and 3.6% in the state.

The national unemployment rate in October also increased by two-tenths of a percentage point, to 3.7%, which is equal to about 6.1 million people.

Colorado employers added 17,700 jobs from September to October, with 15,400 private sector jobs and 2,300 government jobs, the report showed.  

Over the last 30 months, the state experienced a job recovery rate of 121.7% after losses suffered in the early months of the pandemic; that recovery rate is higher than the U.S. rate of 103.7%.

Job growth in the last year in the state is also over the national rate, with Colorado at 4.2% and the U.S. at 3.6%.

Private industry jobs that had the most significant gains in October included professional and business services, construction, trade, transportation, utilities, educational and health services, and manufacturing, the report said. No industries showed significant declines during the month.

The Polis administration noted that Colorado’s 3.6% unemployment rate remains below the national average.

“We are continuing to add good-paying jobs for Coloradans as Colorado’s strong economy continues to grow faster than the rest of the country,” Polis said in a statement. “Our work saving people money and supporting hardworking Coloradans is part of our commitment to building a Colorado for all, where everyone can live, work, and thrive.”

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