Nonmetro Colorado data gap masks a statewide cooling trend.
4.0%
Colorado unemployment rate
Up from 3.9% in July; national rate 4.1%
67.4%
Labor force participation
Down from 68.1% a year earlier (Aug 2025)
0.6%
Statewide job growth projection, 2026
17,500 jobs; well below historical norms
42 notices / 5,059 workers
Colorado WARN notices, 2026
Down 11% from 2025 statewide
This Month's Takeaways
01
Statewide data, not nonmetro-specific, is the only lens available this month.
No official BLS aggregate exists for Colorado's nonmetropolitan counties, and September figures won't post until October 20. Treat this month's read as directional context drawn from the state trend, not a confirmed local figure.
02
Labor force participation decline may matter more than the unemployment tick-up.
Statewide participation fell from 68.1% to 67.4% year-over-year, a signal tied to slower population growth and reduced international migration. For nonmetro counties already facing thinner labor pools, this trend is consistent with a shrinking available workforce independent of job demand.
03
Wage growth outpaced inflation in 2025, but the gap may be closing.
Colorado's overall price level sits roughly 30% above pre-pandemic levels, with 2026 price increases accelerating on an energy shock. If nonmetro wage gains track the state's slowing pattern, real purchasing power gains from last year could erode faster in rural markets with historically lower wage bases.
04
Out-migration makes Colorado an outlier among peer states.
Net domestic migration turned negative in 2025 — the only peer state to see this reversal. Rural counties, often more exposed to population shifts than metro cores, warrant particular attention as this plays out in labor supply and local consumer demand.
Local Economic Conditions
Colorado's statewide unemployment rate climbed to 4.0% in August, up from 3.9% in July, with 1,400 nonfarm jobs lost statewide as official BLS data for nonmetro counties specifically has not yet published for this period. Rural and smaller Colorado counties continue to carry average weekly wages below the national average even as state labor force participation slipped to 67.4% from 68.1% a year earlier, consistent with softening labor supply tied to slower population growth and reduced net migration.
Open Threads in the Data
Statewide softening — three straight months of job losses and a rising jobless rate — suggests nonmetro Colorado communities are likely seeing similarly constrained momentum, though county-level confirmation will lag until BLS publishes October 20. For commerce leaders, this points to a cautious near-term business climate: labor force participation decline limits the local customer and worker base simultaneously, while statewide wage growth above inflation in 2025 offers a partial offset to consumer purchasing power. Consider cross-referencing county-level wage and employment releases from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment once available before drawing firm conclusions about this specific nonmetro footprint.
Advertised Pay Indicators · WageScape Benchmark 25 Jobs
Job postings data for the CO NONMETROPOLITAN AREA metro — median advertised pay, its recent trend, and the number of active postings behind each figure. Jobs are grouped for readability and are not the same as the 10 sector classifications on the next page. For additional job detail contact WageScape.
Retail Trade
| Retail Sales Associate |
$37,154 |
↑ Moderate increase |
4,447 |
| Retail Cashier |
$35,360 |
→ Stable |
1,986 |
Transportation & Warehousing
| Warehouse/Fulfillment Associate |
$40,955 |
→ Stable |
762 |
| CDL Truck Driver |
$81,095 |
↑ Moderate increase |
9,608 |
| Delivery Driver |
$34,834 |
↓ Moderate decline |
6,577 |
| Warehouse Manager |
$52,225 |
↓ Significant decline |
19 |
Construction
| Construction Laborer |
$42,640 |
→ Stable |
318 |
Construction/Skilled Trades
| Electrician |
$71,247 |
↑ Significant increase |
2,135 |
| HVAC Technician |
$78,000 |
↓ Moderate decline |
218 |
Manufacturing
| Manufacturing Production Worker/Assembler |
$36,041 |
↓ Moderate decline |
483 |
Cross-Sector
| Customer Service Representative |
$39,925 |
→ Stable |
2,119 |
| Operations Manager |
$95,453 |
↑ Significant increase |
52 |
Leisure & Hospitality
| Food Service Worker |
$34,698 |
→ Stable |
192 |
Healthcare
| Certified Nursing Assistant / Home Health Aide |
$47,252 |
↑ Moderate increase |
4,245 |
| Registered Nurse |
$105,707 |
↑ Significant increase |
14,758 |
Admin/Office Support
| Administrative Assistant/Office Clerk |
$44,927 |
↓ Moderate decline |
2,326 |
Information/Technology
| Software Engineer |
$152,782 |
↑ Moderate increase |
9,270 |
| Data Engineer |
$145,652 |
↑ Significant increase |
3,258 |
Professional & Business Services
| Accountant |
$71,326 |
↑ Significant increase |
4,335 |
| HR Generalist/Manager |
$82,355 |
↑ Significant increase |
569 |
| Marketing Specialist |
$58,811 |
→ Stable |
791 |
| Business Analyst |
$98,506 |
↑ Moderate increase |
2,333 |
Finance & Insurance
| Financial Analyst |
$93,619 |
↑ Moderate increase |
883 |
Government/Education
| Elementary/Secondary School Teacher |
$60,851 |
↑ Moderate increase |
10,242 |
Cross-Sector Sales
| Account Manager |
$96,000 |
↑ Significant increase |
5,559 |
Industry Snapshot · CO NONMETROPOLITAN AREA
Advertised pay and job-posting trends across the whole metro economy, rolled up by employer industry — not just the bellwether roles above.
| Sector |
Median Pay Change |
Job Postings Change |
| Construction |
↑ +12.9% |
↑ +49.3% |
| Manufacturing |
↑ +12.2% |
↑ +25.8% |
| Retail Trade |
↑ +8.1% |
↑ +3.2% |
| Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities |
↑ +6.6% |
↓ −6.1% |
| Information |
↑ +33.9% |
↓ −33.1% |
| Financial Activities |
↑ +16.8% |
↑ +10.5% |
| Professional & Business Services |
↑ +24.6% |
↑ +24.4% |
| Education & Health Services |
↑ +22.8% |
↑ +29.8% |
| Leisure & Hospitality |
→ −2.2% |
↑ +7.4% |
| Government |
↑ +17.6% |
↓ −29.2% |
Looking Ahead · Next 30–60 Days
Expected release
BLS state and metro-level employment data for September 2026 publishes October 20 — the first real opportunity to confirm whether nonmetro Colorado counties are tracking the statewide job-loss pattern or diverging from it.
Emerging pressure point
Statewide labor force participation has fallen for four consecutive quarters. Watch whether county-level data due later this fall shows nonmetro counties losing workforce faster than metro Colorado, which would compound existing wage-level gaps.
Worth watching
Colorado projects just 0.6% job growth statewide for 2026, with education/health services and government as the lead sectors. Nonmetro economies disproportionately reliant on government and public-sector payrolls may see this as a stabilizing — not a warning — signal.
Potential inflection point
The Leeds Business Confidence Index rose 1.3 points but remains below the neutral 50 mark. A continued climb toward neutral over the next two quarters would mark the first genuine sentiment turnaround since the current slowdown began.
Sources & Methodology
Pay and hiring data provided by WageScape. See every source cited in this report, with links →
Advertised pay reflects the pay ranges employers publish in active job postings in this metro, not survey or payroll data. Pay trends compare the current period with the prior period for the same metro and role. Sector figures group postings by the employer's industry classification; sectors with limited classified postings are marked as such rather than estimated. This briefing is independent of, and complements, official statistics from the BLS and state labor market information offices.
WageScape Metro Member Benefit
Track more metros with Metro Job Market Pulse.
This briefing covers one metro area. Add coverage if your beat, jurisdiction, or membership footprint spans more than one market.
Pulse Plus
3 metro reports
$149/year
Pulse Pro
10 metro reports
$349/year
Enterprise
Nationwide — top 50 markets
$999/year
See plans & upgrade →
Scan or click to add coverage
Need a Deeper Cut of the Data?
WageScape's underlying advertised-pay platform is available directly for a specific occupation, a neighboring county, or a custom time window. Contact us at info@wagescape.com to discuss what WageScape can do for you.
Forwarded This Briefing?
Receive your own monthly briefing, filtered to your local market. Contact info@wagescape.com.
