While the nation’s unemployment rate ticked down one-tenth of a percentage point in August, Utah’s jobless number climbed from July’s rate by the same amount to 3.3 percent. The rate means approximately 59,700 Utahns are unemployed.
Meanwhile, Utah’s nonfarm payroll employment for August increased an estimated 2.3 percent across the past 12 months, with the state’s economy adding a cumulative 40,300 jobs since August 2023. Utah’s current job count stands at 1,760,800.
“The labor market in Utah continues to expand at a healthy rate, even as the unemployment rate has ticked up,” said Ben Crabb, chief economist with the Utah Department of Workforce Services. “Utah still sees a strong labor market as most sectors of the economy have added jobs. Much of the rise in the unemployment rate can be attributed to new entrants into the labor market who are searching for a job, rather than due to an increase in layoffs.”
Utah’s August private-sector employment recorded a year-over-year expansion of 2.1 percent, or a 30,600-job increase. Six 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 14,500 jobs), construction (up 8,900 jobs) and professional and business services (up 6,900 jobs). Leisure and hospitality (down 100 jobs); financial services (down 300 jobs); and trade, transportation and utilities (down 2,000 jobs) 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.