According to a press release issued today by the Economic Analysis Division of the Wyoming Department of Administration and Information, Wyoming experienced its most significant annual population loss in nearly three decades in the year that ended last July.
“Wyoming’s total resident population contracted to 579,315 in July 2017, according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. The annual decrease from July 2016 was 5,595 persons, or 1.0 percent, the largest decline since 1989. There are two components for population change. The natural increase (7,513 births less 4,847 deaths) was 2,666, but the estimated net migration (in-migration less outmigration) was about -8,300, which means that approximately 8,300 more persons left Wyoming than moved into the State between July 2016 and July 2017. In contrast, the net migration was about -4,000 between July 2015 and July 2016,” the release stated.
It went on to indicated that Campbell County led the state with the largest loss of 2,558 residents from July 2016 to July 2017. In terms of percentage, the decrease of 5.2 percent was the steepest among the nation’s 3,142 counties. Weston and Niobrara counties also experienced a decline of at least 3.0 percent, each. The report indicated that Weston County’s population decreased by 271 (7,198 to 6,927) from July of 2016 to July of 2017, for a drop of 3.2 percent, while Niobrara’s decrease was an even 3.0 percent.
The report showed that Lincoln was the only county that demonstrated an increase of 1.0 percent, and all other counties with moderate increases are located in the Northwest and the Southeast areas of the state where there are minimal energy extraction operations. Since 2010, the fastest growing counties were Teton (9.3%), Laramie (7.0%), and Lincoln (6.4%).
“Migration is mostly driven by changes in employment, which is particularly true for Wyoming,” said Dr. Wenlin Liu, Chief Economist with State of Wyoming, Economic Analysis Division. “People tend to move to areas where jobs are available, or conversely, may leave the areas where employment opportunities become limited.”
Between the first quarter of 2015 and the first quarter of 2017, the state’s economy lost about 17,000 jobs or nearly 6.0 percent. Counties with the most mineral activities endured the heaviest losses— most notably Campbell, Converse, Natrona, and Sublette where employment shrunk around 15.0 percent, respectively. Only Teton and Lincoln counties showed job growth during the same two-year period.
“Substantial declines in employment, consequently, contributed to the increase in outmigration. In addition, the labor market nationwide, particularly in neighboring states such as Colorado, Utah, and Idaho, continued to show strong expansion, which attracted a number of Wyoming workers and residents,” the report stated.
At its conclusion, however, the report indicated the trend has likely slowed, as the state’s economy has stabilized and unemployment has come back into line with the national average.
“Since the beginning of 2017, the mining industry (including oil & gas extraction) in the state gained some ground and added approximately 2,000 jobs due to price stabilization and increased drilling. Industries and sectors closely related to mining, such as manufacturing, wholesale trade, transportation, and professional services are also benefiting. As a result, statewide total employment in the fourth quarter of 2017 grew 0.5 percent from the fourth quarter of 2016, the first year-over-year increase in nearly three years. The unemployment rate in Wyoming declined significantly since the summer of 2016, and the current level is similar to the U.S. average. Additionally, business layoffs are very low, and both average working hours and hourly earnings in the private industries are higher than last year,” the report said.
“Wyoming’s current labor market environment should provide encouragement for people who are looking for jobs within the state,” Liu suggested.