Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Nevada unemployment rate dips to 6.8 percent in December

CARSON CITY — Nevada’s unemployment rate last month dropped to 6.8 percent, its lowest since June 2008 and down from 9 percent in December 2013.

The rate was also down from 6.9 percent in November, the state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation reported today.

Despite the improvement, Nevada’s rate was still higher than the national average of 5.6 percent in December.

Gov. Brian Sandoval said the new report shows signs of an improved economy and that employers are adding jobs.

Jobless rates in the Southern Nevada and Reno region each dropped 2 percentage points compared to a year ago to 6.9 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively. The Carson City area’s unemployment rate dropped 2.2 percentage points in December to 7 percent.

The highest rate in the state was 9.7 percent in Mineral County and the lowest 3.2 percent in Esmeralda County.

Total employment statewide reached 1.2 million, with about 881,000 jobs in the Las Vegas area. The number of people out of work stood at an estimated 93,000 statewide in December.

“All 17 of the state’s counties now have unemployment rates below 10 percent,” department economist Bill Anderson said.

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