Oregon Economic Roundup - Population, Employment, Housing Starts

• Population: Researchers at PSU's Population Research Center are projecting Oregon's population will increase by roughly 21,000 residents between 2009 and 2010, marking the fourth straight year of slowing population growth.  The current rate is the most sluggish since the recession in the 1980s.
• Employment: Most industries in Oregon added jobs in October. Total nonfarm employment increased by 7,600 jobs, including 4,100 new private sector jobs. Government hiring accounted for 3,500 jobs while education and health services added 2,300 jobs in October. Trade, transportation and utilities added 1,000. Leisure and hospitality industries declined by 1,100 and manufacturing slipped by 500.
• Housing starts and building permits for the US fell year over year. Figures for the Western states (including Oregon) indicated that housing starts fell about 1 percent from September and were flat compared to October 2009.