Nebraska’s seasonally-adjusted preliminary unemployment rate in August stayed the same as in July at an even 2%.
    That’s 6-10ths of a point lower than a year ago and the 6th-lowest in the country behind Maryland’s record-low 1.7%.
The national rate for August is 3.8%, up 3-10ths of a point from July and 1-10th of a point higher than a year ago.
     In Nebraska, the August jobless rate in Omaha was 2.2% with Lincoln at 1.8%, both down 3-10ths of a point from July and half a point from last year.
      Grand Island was also at 1.8% for a drop of 3-10ths of a point for the month and 4-10ths from a year ago. The Scottsbluff micropolitan statistical area came in at 2.2%, which is 7-10ths a point under July and half a point lower than last year.
Statewide figures are adjusted for seasonal factors while local figures are not, making comparisons between the two meaningless.
     Nebraska Commissioner of Labor John Albin says while the size of the state’s labor force has remained steady for the past year, the number of employed workers is 6,191 more than last August while unemployment count is 5,898 lower.
Nonfarm employment, a count of filled jobs, was 1,041,468 in August. That’s 5,042 fewer than July but 13,578 more than 12 months earlier.
    The private industry sector with the most job growth from July was private education and health services, but it rose only 190 jobs.
    The sectors adding the most jobs since last August were leisure and hospitality services (up 4,353), private education and health services (up 3,790), and other services (up 3,176 jobs).