Oregon’s economy isn’t working for the majority, and state leaders are gathering to map a new course.
Economy (https://www.opb.org/tag/economy/)
Dec. 8, 2025 2 p.m.
Against a backdrop of rising unemployment, large-scale layoffs, and escalating living costs, Oregon’s top economic and political figures will convene for their annual gathering to chart the state’s financial future.
Oregon’s economy is facing notable challenges.
On Monday, economic and political leaders will work to outline a path forward to restore some degree of stability as they convene for the annual Oregon Leadership Summit.
They face a demanding agenda.
Unemployment has climbed from 4% to 5% over the past year. In the same period, the state has shed nearly 25,000 jobs, and the workforce has dipped below 2 million people. Population growth has slowed (https://www.opb.org/article/2024/12/19/oregon-census-data-population-growing-slower-pace-past-decades/). Some Oregonians express reluctance to work or attend school due to federal immigration enforcement activity (https://www.opb.org/article/2025/06/18/oregon-farm-group-immigration-enforcement-disrupts-agriculture-labor/).
Meanwhile, the costs of groceries, utilities, and housing continue to rise. A persistent housing shortage (https://www.opb.org/article/2025/06/06/oregon-housing-crisis-politics-lawmakers-homelessness-rent-eviction/) and an ongoing affordability crisis are pushing a troubling number of Oregonians toward homelessness or housing insecurity.
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U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., acknowledges the challenge ahead.
“The reality is I’ve held more than 1,100 town hall meetings open to the public,” Wyden told OPB ahead of Monday’s summit. “The top issue centers on cost—it could be medical costs, energy costs, or housing costs. But Oregonians are being hit hard by these expenses.”
This year’s summit, held in Portland at the Oregon Convention Center, arrives as slow population and economic growth intensify pressure on state leaders to attract more business opportunities (https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/02/oregon-governor-tina-kotek-ready-tackle-state-lousy-business-reputation/) to Oregon.
“For much of the last five decades, Oregon outpaced the U.S. in population and job growth, driven by steady in-migration and a reputation for livability and opportunity,” notes an Oregon Business Plan report (https://oregonbusinessplan.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Oregons-Choice-Agenda-December-2025.pdf) released ahead of the summit. “But that momentum has slowed. Job growth now trails national averages, in-migration has dropped sharply, and population forecasts have been halved since 2019.”
The summit also comes as Democratic Governor Tina Kotek seeks to frame attracting business as a central theme of her reelection campaign. Kotek is slated to speak mid-day about her economic agenda moving forward.
Leaders from major Oregon industries—health care, semiconductors and artificial intelligence, and food and agriculture—will present to lawmakers and other attendees.
Wyden expects rural education and health care, along with housing and affordability, to dominate the discussion.
“Never bet against Oregon,” Wyden said. “There’s no doubt we’ve got work to do. We must address mental health and downtown Portland challenges. But the hallmark has always been perseverance—stay at it, and results follow.”
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