Deschutes and Jefferson County made significant gains in jobs, but Crook County actually lost jos year over year.

Regional Economist Damon Runberg says the massive layoffs at the Woodgrain Mill in Prineville showed up in the December numbers.

"We saw the first effect in the unemployment numbers in December.  Unemployment grew from 10.5% from 10.2% which is pretty significant in a monthly change.   We also saw employment gains over the last year wiped out during one month's worth of losses."

Runberg says two out of central Oregon's three counties are really bouncing back.

"Being recovered is not as crazy as we once thought.  We're only 2500 jobs short of recovering all the jobs we lost and entering an expansion period in Deschutes County.  An expanding economy.  It wasn't that long ago, people thought it was crazy that we'd ever recover those jobs in Deschutes County."

Deschutes County has added more than three thousands jobs over the past year.