Nebraska’s preliminary unemployment rate for November rose a tenth of a point to a seasonally-adjusted 2.5%. That’s a tenth of a point less than last year and the 5th-lowest in the nation behind Utah’s 2.1%. The national rate is 3.7%.
The jobless rate for Omaha was the same as in October at 1.4%, 3-10ths of a point higher than a year ago. Lincoln’s rate rose a tenth of a point to 2.1%, which is half a point higher than last November.
Grand Island also came in at 2.1%, the same as October and only 3-10ths of a point more than a year ago. The Scotts Bluff Micropolitan Statistical Area had a jobless rate of 2.5%, up a tenth of a point for the month and 4-10ths for the year.
The state unemployment rate is adjusted for seasonal factors while the local rates are not, making comparisons between the two meaningless.
State Labor Commissioner John Albin says that while the jobless rate did inch up, total non-farm employment set a record high for the second straight month at 1,048,406. Over one-million Nebraskans have been employed every month since August 2020.
Non-farm employment added 2,554 jobs in November and 29,117 over the past 12 months. The only private industry sector adding more than 600 jobs from October to November was Trade, Transportation, Utilities with 3,030.
Three sectors added more than 5,000 jobs since last November: Mining and Construction (5,869), Leisure and Hospitality (5,286), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (5,003).