A new information source, the Local Employment Dynamics (LED) program for Oregon, shows:

• The workforce is aging. From 1991 through 2002, an increasing percentage of the workforce was 45 years and older. The proportion of people 65 years and older who continue working has also increased, but slightly.
• Industries in which more than 1-in-5 workers were 55 years and older in 2002 include: private households, local and suburban transit, oil and gas extraction, and membership organizations. The first three had relatively few workers.
• Examples of industries with high turnover rates for older workers include: private households, paper and allied products, and local and suburban transit.
• Examples of industries with more stable employment for older workers include the petroleum refining and textile mill products industries.
• Industries where workers 65 years and over are most likely to be employed include the service industries of eating and drinking places, business services, and health services. Membership organizations are also an important source of work for the oldest workers.
• On average, in 2002, for workers 65 years and over, about 2,800 jobs were created and nearly 5,400 were lost.
• The industry with the highest average monthly earnings in 2002 for workers 65 years and older was primary metals ($5,535), but the number of such workers was only 112. Of the industries that employed more than 500 workers 65 years and older, the highest paying was lumber and wood products ($3,361 a month).