Nevada jobs picture continues to improve

The percentage of workers without jobs in Nevada continued to drop in April as the economy improved.

The adjusted statewide rate is now 4.3 percent, or 1.3 percent below the national rate and a full percent down from a year ago.

"Another month of job growth and a declining unemployment rate confirms the strength of Nevada's economy," said Gov. Kenny Guinn.

He said most gratifying was the increase in the casinos and hotels sector of nearly 2,200 jobs in the past month.

There are now 1,124,500 employed in the state out of a total labor force of 1,175,400.

Carson City's reporting area, which includes Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties, showed an even greater improvement, with unemployment falling three tenths of a percent in the past month and 1.3 percent over the past year. The unemployment rate in the capital reporting area is now 5.3 percent of the 62,740 labor force.

The Reno labor market continued to show the best numbers, with 3.9 percent of the workforce looking for a job. That is down from 4.1 percent in March and 4.6 percent a year ago.

Employment, Training and Rehabilitation Director Birgit Baker said the growth in gaming followed a very strong March. She said job growth in the gaming industry is expected to get even better over the next 12 months, "barring some unforeseen shock to the economy."

The Elko labor market area, which has been hard hit for more than two years by weak gold prices, was down to 4.1 percent. That is four-tenths of a percent less than March and 2.1 percent less than a year ago. The reason according to officials from that county is the recovery of mining with gold prices now well above $300 an ounce along with strong prices for beef on top of the recovery of the tourism industry.

Contact Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.