Oregon unemployment lowest since 1976

SALEM, Ore. — Oregon’s unemployment rate is now the lowest since comparable records started being kept in 1976, the state employment department said Thursday.

It dropped to 3.7% in December. That was down from 3.9% the month before.

"That’s especially striking considering Oregon’s labor force is twice as large as it was 44 years ago,” Nick Beleiciks, with the department, said in a news release about the state's low unemployment.

The majority of the jobs gained were in leisure and hospitality.