Oregon's retail sector has contracted by 5.9% since 2019, according to state and federal employment data, marking the tenth steepest decline among U.S. states. By comparison, the nation as a whole lost only 1.3% of its retail jobs during the same period, underscoring Oregon's outsized struggle in the sector.
The state's retail workforce has historically represented a larger share of overall employment than the national benchmark. In 2016, retail jobs comprised 11.3% of Oregon's nonfarm employment, compared to a national average of 10.9%. Today, retail accounts for roughly 10% of the state's nonfarm jobs, reflecting years of steady contraction.
The causes of the decline remain multifaceted. Major retailers operating in the Portland area, including Target, have announced closures, with operators citing increased crime as a factor. At the same time, the broader shift toward online commerce has accelerated store shutdowns across the retail landscape. Despite the sector adding 900 jobs in March, the longer-term trajectory has remained downward.
Oregon's labor market challenges extend beyond retail. The state's jobless rate stands at 5.2%, significantly higher than the U.S. average of 4.3%, suggesting broader employment pressures across the economy.
Only nine states and Washington, D.C., have experienced worse retail job losses than Oregon since 2019. Washington, D.C., leads with a 14.8% decline, followed by Hawaii at 10.8% and Massachusetts at 10.2%. New York, Connecticut, Vermont, Maryland, New Hampshire, and Louisiana round out the top nine.
