Unemployment Drops in Clackamas County

Unemployment in Clackamas County fell to 4.2 percent in February - down three tenths of a percent from the month before.

It's also the lowest point it has been going back to December 2000 when it was 4.1 and is down significantly from June 2009 when it reached 10.9 percent.

The situation mirrors the state picture

Oregon unemployment fell to 4.5 percent in March - the lowest it has been since comparable records started being kept in 1976.

“Today, more than 95 percent of Oregonians who want a job have a job,” Governor Brown said in a statement.

“To continue strong job growth we must sustain critical investments we’ve made in education and help small businesses grow and expand. We must address the digital divide in rural communities to expand access to the vast resources of the internet. All of Oregon, rural and urban, must have the opportunity to share in this historic economic momentum."

The state employment department says that more people working means higher wages.

In March, the average wage in the private section was $24.45, up ten cents from the month before and up $1.07 from the year before.