Nebraska’s preliminary unemployment rate rose a tenth of a point in July to a seasonally-adjusted 2%, but that’s still half a point lower than a year ago and the second-lowest rate in the country. The national rate for July was 3.5%.
The jobless rate for Omaha was unchanged from June at 2.7%, down half a point from last year, while the Lincoln rate of 2.2% is 3-tenths of a point lower for both the month and year.
Grand Island came in at 2.4%, up a tenth of a point from June and down 8-tenths from last July, and the Scottsbluff micropolitan statistical area had an unemployment rate of 3%, also up a tenth of a point from June but 2-tenths lower than a year ago.
Nebraska Commissioner of Labor John Albin proudly points out that total employment in the state remained above a million for the 23rd straight month.
Nonfarm employment, a count of filled jobs, was 1,033,296 – which was almost 8,900 fewer than in June but nearly 20,000 more than last year.
Albin says the private industry sectors with the most job growth in July were leisure and hospitality (up 1,948), and professional and business services (up 1,862).
Those adding the most jobs since July were led by professional and business services (up 6,196); leisure and hospitality (up 5,294); and trade, transportation, and utilities (up 4,188).
Albin is especially pleased with the manufacturing industry in Nebraska, which added 2,733 jobs since last year to reach nearly 103,000 – the most since January of 2003.