February jobless numbers steady compared to January and 2019

From January through February, the percentage of Nevadans out of work held steady both in the seasonally adjusted and non-adjusted rates.

Seasonally adjusted joblessness was 3.6 percent and non-adjusted stood at 3.8 percent statewide.

Both those percentages are down from the adjusted 4.1 percent unemployment a year ago and 4.2 percent non-adjusted rate in February 2019.

Altogether, there were 59,300 out of work as February ended. That number, however, will spike dramatically when March numbers are reported because of the virus induced shutdown of almost the entire hospitality industry — Nevada’s biggest employer.

A spokesman for the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation said, however, February is the first month since July 2012 that Nevada’s job growth fell below the national rate of job growth.

But, over the past year, the state has seen consistent job growth. Carson City lost 200 jobs over the past month but is up 600 jobs over the course of the year. Reno added 200 jobs from January to February and is up 4,400 over the past year. Las Vegas was down 1,300 jobs in February but up 13,500 over the year.

As for unemployment, Carson City was at 4.1 percent over the month, unchanged, but down six-tenths of a percent over the past year. There were just 1,105 people looking for work in the capital.

Reno was at just 3.2 percent unemployment, down two-tenths from January and a half percent compared to February 2019. That equates to 8,500 jobless in the area.

Las Vegas, meanwhile, was unchanged from January at 3.9 percent but down three-tenths from a year ago — roughly 44,600 seeking work.

Eureka County had the lowest jobless rate in the state at 2.4 percent. Lyon County was highest at 5 percent. Eureka’s rate translates to just 26 people without a job while Lyon’s rate is some 1,170.

Churchill County reported a jobless rate of 3.7 percent for February with just 423 looking for work.

In Douglas County, the unemployment rate fell a tenth to 3.9 percent. Some 925 folks are seeking work there.