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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Emergency services, Oct. 16 ... Since You Asked: Park resurfacing delayed during winter ... SOU training gives tips on what to do if there's an active shooter ... Emergency services, Oct. 16 ... Since You Asked: Park resurfacing delayed during winter ... SOU training gives tips on what to do if there's an active shooter ... EMPLOYMENT Jackson County job numbers inched up in June Comment By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 21, 2015 at 4:45 PM By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 21, 2015 at 4:45 PM » Social News June marked the continuation of slow and steady job growth for Jackson County. Local employers added 260 positions last month, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, pushing the 12-month total to 2,770 additional jobs, a 3.5 percent gain. With high school graduation, college students seeking summer employment and others rejoining the workforce, the seasonal unemployment rate ticked up to 7 percent from 6.8 percent in May. Still it was well below the June 2014 figure of 8.5 percent. "We're certainly off the 10 to 12 percent recessionary peaks," said Guy Tauer, a regional economist with the Employment Department. "We're still fairly low in terms of historical trends." The sky has been fairly void of smoke from wildfires that have plagued recreational activity in recent summers, keeping a variety of tourism-based businesses active. "We haven't had days where the smoke keeps people indoors," Tauer said. "It's encouraging that we've made it through most of July without the kind of fires that impact rafting, Britt concerts and Shakespeare," Tauer said. "Hopefully that will continue so we won't have the curtailments we've had in recent summers. We've still got a long time to go, so we're holding our breath on that one." Health care and social assistance produced 650 more jobs in the past year, demonstrating that the county's aging population contributes to job growth long after retirement. "Their spending patterns change over time, but they're spending more on health care services," Tauer said. "You can see how that aging population can affect job growth in the future as there is more demand for assisted living, retirement homes, in-home health care, medical transportation services and medical-device manufacturing. Those are the sort of things that benefit from an aging population." Manufacturing, financial activities, and leisure and hospitality all added about 250 jobs over the past 12 months. Construction is virtually flat, accounting for about 4 percent of hiring. "It's a little surprising we haven't seen more job growth in construction," Tauer said. "Anecdotal evidence suggests there is an uptick, but we still haven't seen much improvement." Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GregMTBusiness , on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/greg.stiles.31 , and read his blog at www.mailtribune.com/EconomicEdge . By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 21, 2015 at 4:45 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501