Unemployment rate in Las Vegas improves in January

By Cy Ryan

Monday, March 12, 2012 | 10:05 a.m.

CARSON CITY - Unemployment in the Las Vegas area dipped to 13.1 percent in January, down 0.2 points from the month before, with an estimated 128,400 jobless, the state reported today.

The state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation said there were 854,200 on the job in Clark County - 1,900 fewer than in December 2011.

Statewide the jobless rate dipped to 12.7 percent, 4.4 percent higher than the national average of 8.3 percent.

"It marked the 12th time in the past 13 months that employment has grown on a year-over-year basis," said Bill Anderson, chief economist for the department. "Nevada's labor markets continued on a path of moderate improvement in January.".

In the Las Vegas area, employment in casinos, hotels and gaming stood at 160,700 for the month, compared to 156,000 a year ago in the same month.

Construction employment totaled 36,800 in January in the Las Vegas area, up 700 workers from the same month of 2011. Manufacturing employment inched up by 200 workers to 19,600.

The number of workers in the trade, transportation and utilities sector in Southern Nevada totaled 150,200 in January, up 3,200 from a year ago.

Anderson said the average work week for all employees on private non-farm payrolls edged up by 0.2 hours to 33.7 hours in January. The average hourly earnings for all employees on private non-farm payrolls rose by 31 cents to $19.67.

Over the past 12 months average hourly earnings have increased by 2.9 percent.

Anderson said there are other positive signs in the economy. Taxable sales are up 7 percent, marking its largest gain since 2005. Gaming's win has risen by 3.7 percent for its best showing since 2006. He said Las Vegas visitor volume is up 4.3 percent for all of 2011, marking its strongest gain in seven years.