Colorado’s unemployment rate has dropped below the national average for the first time since November 2023, according to a monthly update from the Colorado Department of Labor and Unemployment .

A pickup in hiring, combined with more people leaving the workforce, helped lower the state’s unemployment rate from 4.5% in July to 4.2% in August. The U.S. unemployment rate rose from 4.2% to 4.3% over that same period, marking the first time the state has had a lower unemployment rate than the U.S. in 20 months, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Colorado historically has a lower unemployment rate than the U.S. because of a more robust job market and its ability to attract employers. But that track record has proven less sustainable since the pandemic.

The number of unemploye

See Full Page