Nevada jobless rate falls

Friday, Sept. 19, 2003 | 11:07 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn says the state's economy appears to be picking up, judging from the latest unemployment figures.

The unemployment rate for August dipped two-tenths of a percentage point to 5.2 percent, compared to July.

And total employment grew by 21,900 jobs from the same month of a year ago, the state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation reported today.

Guinn said, "The rate of job growth has improved in each of the last three months since stalling during the Iraq war. Tourism is improving, and population growth is creating demand for stores, health care facilities and other services."

The department said the 5.2 percent jobless rate was lower than the nation's 6.1 percent and California's 6.6 percent.

There were an estimated 55,700 people out of work statewide, compared with 60,900 in July. Total employment reached 1,079,200 up 2.1 percent from a year ago.

The department said unemployment in the Las Vegas metropolitan statistical area (Clark and Nye counties and Mohave County in Arizona) fell to 5.3 percent, down four-tenths of a percentage point from July and unchanged from a year ago.

The estimated number of people without jobs in August in the Las Vegas area was 46,400, down from 50,500 in July. Total employment reached 810,500 in August, up 2.4 percent from a year ago.

In a statewide breakdown, the department said construction employment jumped 4 percent in August to 100,400 compared to year ago; manufacturing employment inched up 0.7 percent to 43,300; retail trade registered a 4.2 percent gain to 119,100 jobs; gaming and hotel casinos reported 208,400 jobs, an increase of 0.7 percent and government employment rose 3.3 percent to 126,900.

In the Las Vegas area, employment in gaming and hotel-casinos rose to 166,500, up 1.5 percent; construction jobs jumped 4.5 percent to 81,800; retail trade increased 4.7 percent to 92,800 employed; manufacturing reported 24,700 employed, up 1.6 percent from a year ago and government employment was up 4.3 percent to 84,600.

The agency said Washoe County's unemployment rate fell from 4.2 percent in July to 3.9 percent in August with an estimated 7,700 people out of work. Total employment was 200,800, up 1.8 percent from a year ago.

The Carson City area that includes the city, Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties, reported unemployment at 5.2 percent, down from 5.7 percent in July. There were an estimated 3,240 people out of work. Total employment fell to 62,090, down 0.4 percent from a year ago.

The department said the jobless rate in Elko and Eureka counties fell from 4.8 percent in July to 4.5 percent in August with 990 out of work. Total employment in the two counties rose 2.4 percent to 21,750 compared to August 2002.