Nevada’s jobless rate continues to fall

August unemployment rates were down in all of Nevada’s metropolitan areas.

In Carson City, the rate dropped two tenths of a percent to 4.7 percent compared to July and fell nine tenths of a percent from August 2016.

Reno’s rate fell to 4.1 percent, one tenth from July and six tenths compared to a year ago. In Las Vegas, the rate was 5.2 percent, two tenths down from July and a half percent below August 2016.

Overall, that leaves the state at 5 percent unemployment.

As the economy continues to recover, the labor force has grown from 1,429,000 a year ago to 1,445,000. Of those workers, just 70,600 are looking for work.

In Carson City’s 24,800 person labor force, just 1,200 are jobless as of August.

In Reno, only 9,500 are seeking work in a labor force of 234,800 while Las Vegas has 55,900 jobless in a pool of 1,068,800.

Lyon County’s jobless rate remains a bit higher than most parts of the state. But 5.8 percent is two tenths down compared to July and significantly better than the 7.2 percent Lyon started this year at.

Douglas County’s unemployment rate remained at 4.5 percent in August with just more than 1,000 looking for work in a pool of 22,448.

Churchill County saw its unemployment rate dip another tenth, finishing August at just 4.3 percent. That’s just 448 job seekers out of 10,368 workers.

The mining counties continue to lead the way.

Elko reported just 3.4 percent of the labor force out of work. That translates to just 1,000 jobless in a pool of 28,300. Eureka County’s rate was just 3 percent and Esmeralda’s 3.9 percent.

Nye County holds the dubious distinction of having the state’s highest unemployment rate at 6.4 percent.

Bill Anderson, chief economist for the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, said the state has added 38,800 jobs over the past year, a 3 percent growth rate.

“Employers are showing confidence in the economy by adding more jobs while more people are joining the workforce in search of jobs,” he said.