Utah’s unemployment rate — already among the best in the nation — took another dip in November to 3.2 percent, down 0.1 percent from October. The Department of Workforce Services said that means just over 50,000 people are still looking for jobs in the state.
Meanwhile, the annual job growth for Utah reached 2.9 percent in November, adding 42,100 jobs to the economy since November 2016. Utah’s current employment level sits at 1,498,100.
The national unemployment rate remained unchanged in November from October at 4.1 percent.
“The year is winding down on an economic high note with the addition of more than 40,000 jobs in the state,” said Carrie Mayne, chief economist at the Department of Workforce Services. “Coupled with a low unemployment rate, Utah will transition to 2018 on a strong labor market trajectory.”
Utah’s private sector employment grew by 3.1 percent year-over-year with the addition of 37,200 positions. Eight of the 10 private sector industry groups measured in the establishment survey posted net job increases in November as compared to last year, while the natural resources and mining industry decreased by 400 positions and the information industry gained no positions. The largest private sector employment increases were in leisure and hospitality (9,000 jobs); trade, transportation and utilities (6,500 jobs); professional and business services (6,200 jobs); and education and health services (6,200 jobs). The fastest employment growth occurred in leisure and hospitality (6.7 percent), construction (5.1 percent) and other services (4.9 percent).