Unemployment down in September

Friday, Oct. 22, 2004 | 10:54 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The unemployment rate in Nevada in September fell to 3.9 percent with an estimated 45,800 people jobless, the state reported today.

This is the lowest rate since July 2000, which was also 3.9 percent.

Total employment rose to 1,154,300, up 4.6 percent or 51,100 workers from a year ago, the state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation said.

Gov. Kenny Guinn said, "Nevada's economy continued to exhibit strong performance in September and has added 37,000 new private-sector jobs since March." He said the state's businesses have created more than 120,000 new private-sector jobs since January 2002.

Department Director Birgit Baker said Nevada's jobless rate is 1.5 percentage points lower than the national rate. She said nearly every county in the state had a lower jobless rate than in the third quarter a year ago.

Unemployment in the Las Vegas area that includes Clark and Nye counties and Mohave County in Arizona registered 4 percent, or 37,900 people, in September, the same as in August. But it was down from the 5.4 percent rate in September 2003.

Total employment in the Las Vegas area reached 872,900, up 5.1 percent from a year ago or 42,500 jobs.

In a statewide breakdown of industries, construction jobs totaled 116,600, up 11.4 percent from a year ago; manufacturing was up 4.6 percent to 45,800 jobs compared with September 2003; retail trade reported 126,500 jobs, up 4.3 percent; casinos, hotels and gaming inched up 0.6 percent to 208,600; professional and business services reported 133,300 jobs, up 7.3 percent; and government positions rose 4.1 percent to 140,500.

The department reported construction jobs in the Las Vegas area increased 10.2 percent to 92,800 compared with the same month last year; manufacturing was up 5.4 percent to 27,100 employed; retail trade reported 99,200 employed, up 4.5 percent; and financial activities rose 5.2 percent with 48,800 jobs.

Professional and business services in the Las Vegas area posted a 6.6 percent gain in employment to 101,500; hotels and casinos reported 161,700, up 1.5 percent; education and health services had 60,400 employed, up 6.2 percent; and government positions, which include federal, state and local, totaled 94,400, up 4.9 percent.

The department said the unemployment rate in Washoe County fell to 3.1 percent, down from the 3.2 percent in August. There were an estimated 6,500 jobless in Washoe County. Total employment reached 211,000, up 4.1 percent from a year ago.

The Carson City labor market that includes Carson City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties posted a 4.2 percent unemployment rate -- the same as August. There were an estimated 2,600 jobless. Total employment inched up 0.4 percent to 59,340 jobs compared with a year ago.

Elko and Eureka counties registered a 3.4 percent unemployment rate, down from 3.5 percent in August. There were an estimated 730 workers jobless. Total employment reached 20,600, up 4.5 percent from a year ago.