Nevada jobless rate steady, falls in Vegas

Monday, April 19, 2004 | 10:45 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Unemployment in Nevada continued at 4.4 percent in March but the jobless rate fell in the Las Vegas area, the state reported today.

The state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation said Nevada continued to have the nation's highest job creation rate in a year-to-year comparison. There were 44,700 new jobs in Nevada in the past 12 months, an increase of 4.2 percent over the year.

The 4.4. percent statewide unemployment rate, with an estimated 51,700 people out of work, was lower than the 5.7 percent national rate and the 6.5 percent in California. Statewide figures are adjusted for seasonal trends but the local rates are not.

The department said the March rate in the Las Vegas metropolitan statistical area that includes Clark and Nye counties in Nevada and Mohave County in Arizona was 4.4 percent, down from the 4.6 percent in February. There were an estimated 40,700 people out of work, a decline of 2,200 from the previous month.

Gov. Kenny Guinn said, "Nevada's economy continued its recent trends of solid job growth and moderate unemployment.

"Construction activity remains strong in many parts of the state. Favorable economic conditions and an improving national employment picture should provide a boost to Nevada's tourism industry, which has not kept up with the growth in many of the state's other industries," said the governor.

The department said employment in casino hotels and gaming totaled 203,600 in March, down 0.2 percent from the same month of a year ago. But the industry in the Las Vegas area reported 165,000 employment, up 0.5 percent from March 2003.

Total employment statewide reached 1.117 million, the department said. That's about 9,700 more jobs than in February.

Construction statewide accounted for 105,800 jobs, up 11.5 percent in the year-to-year comparisons; manufacturing grew 4.4 percent to 45,000 employed; retail trade reported 121,800 jobs, up 5.2 percent and financial activities grew 6.1 percent to 60,500 employed.

Professional and business services posted a 6.9 percent gain to 126,300 on the job; education and health services grew 5.5 percent to 78,800 employed and government jobs increased to 139,800, a 1.8 percent gain from March 2003.

In the Las Vegas areas, the department said there were 846,100 employed last month, a 4.3 percent increase over the same month of 2003. Construction grew 10.1 percent to 80,000 employed and manufacturing was up 6.4 percent to 26,500.

Retail trade employment grew 5.3 percent to 96,000 jobs in the Las Vegas area; Financial activities were up 6.5 percent to 47,500; professional and business services posted a 5.3 percent increase to 97,500; education and health services was up 5.9 percent to 59,100 and government reported 93,300 jobs, up 2 percent.

The department reported Washoe County posted a 4.1 percent unemployment rate, down from the 4.5 percent in February. There were an estimated 4,800 people jobless. Total employment reached 196,100, up 4.5 percent from a year ago.

The Carson City area that includes Carson City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties registered a 5.6 percent unemployment rate, down from 6.3 percent in February. There were an estimated 3,520 jobless. Total employment reached 59,250, up 2.2 percent.

Elko and Eureka counties registered a 4.5 percent jobless rate, down from 5.4 percent in February. There were an estimated 970 jobless. And 20,740 were on the job, up 10.4 percent from a year ago.