Data: Colorado Springs leads state in job recovery amid the pandemic

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- New state data from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) shows the Colorado Springs area has the highest job recovery rate compared to other areas of the state.

The data shows Colorado Springs with a job recovery rate of 69% as of January 2021. State labor officials said they were still analyzing the rates and weren't sure why the Colorado Springs area had the state's highest recovery rate.

Colorado's unemployment rate has decreased to 6.6% compared to the national unemployment rate of 6.3%.

Among the Colorado industries with the highest job increase rate during the pandemic are finance and insurance, transportation, warehousing, utilities, company management, and retail trade.

CDLE data shows that the food industry continues to struggle after losing at least 137,100 jobs and only gaining 75,100 jobs back for a recovery rate of 55%.

The industries in Colorado with the lowest job recovery rates are construction, arts, entertainment, recreation, manufacturing and private educational services, according to CDLE data.