Nevada jobless rate lowest in 9 years

Nevada’s unemployment rate ended 2016 at 5.1 percent, the lowest in nine years.

The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation reported Tuesday in a year-to-year comparison, the jobless rate was down 1.2 percent in December, compared with the same month in 2015.

The numbers came out just hours ahead of Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval’s scheduled State of the State speech.

Sandoval says he’s pleased the state is setting employment records.

Unemployment peaked during the Great Recession at nearly 14 percent in 2010.

Chief state economist Bill Anderson says as a category, trade, transportation and utilities grew fastest in 2016, adding 9,000 jobs.

Construction was up 10.4 percent over 2015, adding 7,200 jobs.

Nevada’s unemployment rate was 5.2 percent in November. The figures are seasonally adjusted.