Utah's No. 1 in nation for job growth; 50,400 jobs added since December 2018
(KUTV) — Utah is No. 1 in the nation for total job growth and has the lowest unemployment rate ever.
The Utah Department of Workforce Services released an employment summary for December 2019, which showed Utah’s nonfarm payroll employment grew by an estimated 3.3%. The growth translates to additional 50,400 jobs since December 2018.
Utah’s current employment level registers 1,599,500. November’s year-over job growth is revised upward two-tenths of a percentage point to 3.5%, DWS reported.
Mark Knold, Chief Economist at the Department of Workforce Services, said in a prepared statement:
Utah culminates 2019 with a resilient and convincing employment picture. The economy continues adding to multiple years of robust job creation. This dynamic has carried Utah to its lowest recorded unemployment rate. The job market is humming along at a feverish pace and is absorbing as much labor as possible.
December’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate lowered one-tenth of a percentage point to 2.3%. This becomes Utah’s lowest recorded unemployment rate.
Approximately 37,900 Utahns were unemployed and actively seeking work during December. The national unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.5%.
DWS stated in a press release that Utah’s private sector employment grew by 3.6% year-over with the addition of 46,700 positions.
Nine of the 10 private sector major industry groups measured in the establishment survey posted net job increases in December, with only the Other Services group adding no net jobs. The largest private-sector employment increases were in:
- Education and Health Services (12,400 jobs);
- Construction (9,700 jobs); and
- Professional and Business Services (7,500 jobs).
The fastest employment growth occurred in:
- Construction (9.5%);
- Education and Health Services (6.0%); and
- Leisure and Hospitality Services (3.8%).
Additional analysis and tables at https://jobs.utah.gov/wi/update/index.html
January's employment information will be released on March 4.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows Utah rankings in the nation as follows:
TOTAL JOB GROWTH
(1) Utah – 3.3%
(2) Arizona – 2.9%
(2) Idaho – 2.9%
(3) Texas – 2.7%
PRIVATE SECTOR JOB GROWTH
(1) Utah – 3.6%
(2) Arizona – 3.2%
(2) Idaho – 3.2%
(3) Texas – 3.1%
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
(1) Utah – 2.3%
(1) South Carolina – 2.3%
(1) Vermont – 2.3%
(4) North Dakota – 2.4%
(5) Colorado – 2.5%
(6) Hawaii – 2.6%
(6) New Hampshire – 2.6%
(6) Virginia – 2.6%
(9) Alabama – 2.7%
(9) Iowa – 2.7%