After a couple of months of moderate increases, Utah’s unemployment rate leveled off in December at 3.5 percent, the same as it was in November, according to data released by the Utah Department of Workforce Services (DWS). The rate means about 63,620 Utahns are unemployed.
The November national jobless rate was up one-tenth of a percentage point at 4.2 percent.
Utah’s nonfarm payroll employment for November increased an estimated 1.8 percent across the past 12 months, with the state’s economy adding a cumulative 30,900 jobs since November 2023. Utah’s current job count stands at 1,782,700.
“The state’s economy continues to grow with expansion across most sectors,” said Ben Crabb, chief economist with DWS. “While job openings continue to trend downward, the unemployment rate has held steady for three months. Continued claims for unemployment insurance are down across age groups, industries and occupations. Despite some pockets of weakness, notably in retail trade and leisure and hospitality, the state’s labor market is exhibiting continued resilience and stability as the year draws to an end.”
Utah’s November private-sector employment recorded a year-over-year expansion of 1.3 percent, or a 19,200-job increase. Eight of the 10 major private-sector industry groups posted net year-over-year job gains. The overall gains are led by education and health services (up 12,800 jobs), construction (up 6,900 jobs) and professional and business services (up 3,000 jobs). Leisure and hospitality (down 3,600 jobs); and trade, transportation and utilities (down 3,300 jobs) have experienced year-over-year job losses.
Additional employment data tables and analysis, including county unemployment rates, can be accessed at https://jobs.utah.gov/wi/update/index.html.