The Research and Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services has released a report detailing the unemployment rate for January 2021. According to the report, Wyoming’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from 5.2% in December 2020 to 5.1% in January 2021. The current rate of unemployment in the United States remains higher than Wyoming, at 6.3%.

While the overall state has seen a decrease, many counties, including Lincoln County, saw an increase in their unemployment rate. In December 2020, Lincoln County’s unemployment rate was 4.2%. The unemployment rate for January 2021 was 5.2%, according to the report. The percentage continues to be higher than this time last year. In January 2020, Lincoln County’s unemployment rate was 4.7%.

According to the report, the “largest increases were seen in areas of the state dominated by the energy sector.” Converse County’s unemployment rate rose from 3.5% to 6.7% — the largest increase in the state.

The lowest unemployment rate, according to the report, was found in Weston County, which had a rate of 3.8%. Sublette County had the highest rate at 8.3%. Big Horn County’s unemployment rate at 6.2% was the only rate to remain unchanged from a year earlier, in January 2020.

All rates in the state are higher than rates in January 2020, before COVID-19 closures hit. The U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.8% higher than the January 2020 rate of 3.5%.