Lincoln, NE (AP) – Nebraska’s unemployment rate in December dropped to 4.4 percent, the second-lowest rate in the nation, state labor officials said in a report released Tuesday.
The rate showed a slight improvement from the same time the year before, when it was 4.6 percent, and from November, when it was also 4.6 percent, the Nebraska Labor Department said.
Nebraska’s December rate trailed only North Dakota’s 3.8 percent. South Dakota had the third-lowest unemployment rate, at 4.6 percent. The national rate in December dropped to 9.4 percent from 9.8 percent in November.
Nebraska saw jobs added in December in three sectors: trade, transportation and utilities (2,148 jobs); manufacturing (1,122 jobs); and professional and business services (459 jobs), the department said.
State Labor Commissioner Catherine Lang credited jumps in retail employment for increases in trade, transportation and utilities and in professional and business services.
“Both of these increases are the largest for the month of December over the past decade and indicate strengthening in those sectors of the state’s economy,” Lang said.”
The number of people employed in Nebraska rose in December, to 930,671 from 927,063 in November. The total labor force increased by 2,416 people, to 973,872 workers.
The unemployment rate in the state’s largest city, Omaha, rose to 4.7 percent from 4.6 percent in November. Omaha’s unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in December 2009.
Unemployment in Lincoln remained 3.5 percent last month. In December 2009, unemployment in the capital city was 3.9 percent.
State officials say unemployment rates for Omaha and Lincoln are not seasonally adjusted and cannot be compared to the state unemployment rate.
Here are the preliminary area labor market rates for December, followed by the revised November rates:
– Beatrice: 4.7, 5.0
– Columbus: 3.7, 3.8
– Fremont: 4.3, 4.4
– Grand Island: 3.9, 3.8
– Hastings: 4.0. 3.9
– Kearney: 2.8, 2.8
– Lexington: 4.8, 4.6
– Norfolk: 3.7, 3.6
– North Platte: 3.7, 3.7
– Red Willow: 3.3, 3.2
– Scotts Bluff: 4.5, 4.3
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Omaha’s unemployment rose to 4.7% from 4.6% in November. But we are doing alright.
Another great reason to live in Omaha.