Oregon's jobless rate dropped to 4.8 percent in February. That’s the lowest it’s been in more than 20 years.
The state Employment Department says Oregon gained 4,300 jobs last month, led by construction and health care. That pushed the unemployment rate down to a mark last seen in April 1995.
Nick Belieciks is a state employment economist:
Beleiciks: “Right now it seems like the job growth is very sustainable, over the short term. Long term, all sorts of other factors can start affecting Oregon’s economy.”
The state's unemployment rate has dropped steadily since it reached a peak of nearly 12 percent in spring 2009.
The unemployment rate at this time last year was 5.8 percent.
