Nevada’s unemployment rate improved in all 17 counties in October.
One of the biggest improvements was in Clark County which has struggled because of its heavy dependence on hospitality and leisure jobs. There, the rate fell from 7.4 percent in September to 6.6 percent in October.
Rates in Reno and Carson City, Nevada’s other metropolitan statistical reporting areas, also declined through October. Reno’s rate finished the month at 3.2 percent, down three-tenths from September. Carson City’s rate also decreased three-tenths from 3.9 percent to 3.6 percent.
But one of the most hopeful signs in October’s numbers is that the number of people in the labor force increased significantly in all three metro areas. That is a clear indication that more people are returning to the workforce and looking for jobs.
The increase in Carson City was just 307 people, bringing the labor force there to 26,767. There were just 964 jobless in the capital.
But in Reno, the increase was 3,776 people for a total labor force of 266,459. There were 8,598 people seeking work in the Reno area.
In Las Vegas, 9,528 more people entered the labor force in October bringing the total in the south to 1,128,058. The employment Security Division reported 74,973 seeking work in the Las Vegas area.
As October ended, the statewide unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, was 5.8 percent.
The adjusted rate, because of the onset of holiday hiring, was 7.3 percent.
The reporting area with the lowest unemployment rate was Eureka County where just 2.2 percent or 23 people were out of work.
Clark County retained highest unemployment rate.
