Statewide unemployment dipped below 7 percent in July for the first time since 2008.
That draws down the number of unemployed in the state to just more than 97,000.
Both the seasonally adjusted and raw rates were down from the month before — to 6.8 percent and 6.9 percent respectively. Over the year since July 2014, Economist Bill Anderson said the state has added more than 45,000 jobs, a growth rate of 3.7 percent that’s the second largest gain since mid 2006. “All economic indicators continue to show the Silver State bouncing back from the brutal effects of the recession,” he said.
Anderson said in addition to the rate improving, the long-term unemployed are getting jobs and fewer businesses are growing.
The biggest gains in employment were reported by construction companies, up 10.7 percent or 6,800 jobs. Leisure and Hospitality also saw growth, adding some 20,000 jobs in July, a growth rate of 6 percent.