Nevada economy continues to boom

Single Sign-On: You can use Facebook account to log in to LasVegasSun.com. (We will use your first and last name from your profile.)
Trusted Commenting: Facebook connected users automatically become trusted commenters.

Friday, April 2, 2004 | 10:26 a.m.

Reports this week on Nevada's falling unemployment rate and soaring retail sales confirmed the state's economy continues to boom.

Unemployment fell to 4.4 percent in February in Nevada, its lowest point in three years, the state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation said.

The 4.4 percent compares with the 5.6 percent national average and 6.2 percent for California. It is lower than the 4.5 percent in January and is the lowest since January 2001.

Total employment statewide reached 1.1 million, up 4.1 percent from February 2003.

And in January, Nevada merchants reported $2.8 billion in taxable sales, an increase of 11.4 percent from the same month of the prior year.

The state Taxation Department reported Clark County businesses produced $2.1 billion in taxable sales, a 12.7 percent gain compared to a year ago. This is the fifth time in the last seven months that taxable sales in Clark County showed double digit increases.