Nevada jobless rate drops to lowest point in four years

Friday, Sept. 17, 2004 | 10:56 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Unemployment in August in Nevada dropped to 4 percent, the lowest rate in four years, and 8,000 new jobs were added during the month.

The state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation reported today there were an estimated 45,900 jobless last month, compared with 54,400 in July when the rate was 4.4 percent.

Nevada's rate was lower than the national 5.4 percent and California's 5.8 percent.

Gov. Kenny Guinn said, "Nevada's unemployment rate returned to a level not seen since before the national recession and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks."

"The 8,000 jobs added in August provide additional evidence of the state's economic strength," said Guinn. "Employment has increased by more than 46,000 statewide in the past year."

Birgit Baker, director of the department, said, "Since August 2003 the number of unemployed workers in Nevada has declined nearly 24 percent, while the labor force has increased by more than 40,000 during the same period."

The department said the Las Vegas Metropolitan Statistical Area that includes Clark and Nye counties and Arizona's Mohave County posted a jobless rate of 4 percent, down from 4.6 percent in July. There were an estimated 37,800 people without work during August in this area.

Statewide total employment in all industries rose to 1,139,600, up 4.3 percent from a year ago.

The department said there were 115,700 people statewide employed in construction, up 10.7 percent; manufacturing jobs grew 3.9 percent to 45,800; employment in casino hotels and gaming inched up 0.8 percent to 208,900 and retail trade grew 4.2 percent to 125,200 on the job in the year-to-year comparison.

Jobs in financial activities increased by 4.4 percent to 61,700; professional and business services posted a gain of 6.5 percent to 131,900; education and health services increased 5.4 percent to 79,500 and government employment rose 2.5 percent to 129,800 statewide.

The department reported there were 860,600 jobs in the Las Vegas area in August, up 4.7 percent from a year ago.

Employment in casino-hotels and gaming increased 1.6 percent to 168,500 in the Las Vegas area; construction jumped 9.9 percent to 91,900 workers compared with August 2003; manufacturing grew 5.1 percent to 27,000 workers and jobs in financial activities were up to 48,600, a gain of 5.4 percent.

The department said employment in education and health services in the Las Vegas area increased 6.4 percent to 59,800 jobs during the year; professional and business services employment rose 5.7 percent to 100,600 and government jobs increased by 2.6 percent to 86,100 in the year-to-year comparison.

Unemployment in Washoe County declined from 3.8 percent in July to 3.2 percent in August with an estimated 6,700 persons out of work. Total employment increased 3.8 percent with 209,100 on the job compared to a year ago.

The Carson City labor market that includes Carson City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties, posted an unemployment rate of 4.2 percent in August, down from the 4.9 percent in July. There were an estimated 2,660 people out of work.

Elko and Eureka counties reported a jobless rate of 3.5 percent, down from the 4.1 percent in July. There were an estimated 750 people out of work last month. Total employment grew 5 percent to 21,030 from a year ago.