Salem MSA Adds 9,000 Jobs in 3 Years as Amazon-Fueled Warehousing Drives 5% Growth
Updated
Updated · Salem Reporter · Jun 11
Salem MSA Adds 9,000 Jobs in 3 Years as Amazon-Fueled Warehousing Drives 5% Growth
1 articles · Updated · Salem Reporter · Jun 11
Summary
Salem added 9,000 jobs from April 2023 to April 2026, a 5% gain that outpaced Portland, Eugene-Springfield and Oregon overall, all of which lost jobs over the same period.
Transportation and warehousing supplied the standout growth after Amazon opened a warehouse near Woodburn employing several thousand people; without that boost, Salem's job growth likely would have been near zero.
Healthcare and social assistance also expanded nearly 20%, while construction lost 800 jobs over the past year, retail kept shrinking, and leisure and hospitality remained flat at 15,900 jobs versus three years ago.
Salem's unemployment rate held between 4.5% and 5%, including 11,000 unemployed residents in April, while labor-force participation stood at 62% and continued a long-term decline that threatens labor supply.
Inflation accelerated to 3.8% from 2.4%, led by gas and food prices, adding pressure as local economists weigh immigration policy, past shutdown disruptions and the Iran war's effect on oil without yet forecasting a recession.