The July 2025 Regional Economic Update presents the most recently-released jobs and wages data published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) for Q4 2024 for the NWCCOG Region which includes the six counties of Eagle, Grand, Jackson, Pitkin, Routt and Summit.

The region’s main economic driver is tourism, supported by the region’s top three sectors of accommodations & food services (23% of all jobs), retail trade (11% of all jobs), and  arts, entertainment, and recreation (10% of all jobs). The region saw the most growth in the healthcare sector over the last decade.

The region reports total labor force for May 2025 at 86.557. This is up +1,050 or +1.2% year over year. The region’s unemployment rate is reported at 4.9%, up five-tenths of a percentage point year over year. The region’s UE is higher than that of the State (4.5%) and U.S. (4.2%), however May is considered “mud season” in the region, a time when the ski areas are closed and the busy summer season has not yet started.