State officials say Nebraska unemployment increases slightly to 4.8 percent in February

Nebraska jobless rate increases a bit in February

LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska officials say the state’s unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.8 percent in February — still less than half the national rate of 9.7 percent.

State labor officials released the latest unemployment figures Friday. They also revised the preliminary January unemployment rate to 4.7 percent from 4.6 percent.

The Nebraska unemployment rate in February was a half-percentage point higher than the 4.3 percent reported a year ago. The national rate in February is 1.5 percentage points higher than a year earlier.

The state report says two sectors of the Nebraska economy saw increases in the number of jobs in February: education and health services, up by more than 1,000 jobs; and other services, up by more than 100 jobs.

Nebraska’s seasonally adjusted labor force included 985,589 people in February. Of those, 47,215 were listed as unemployed, which is 1,176 more than in January and 4,620 more than February 2009.

Omaha’s estimated unemployment rate fell to 5.9 percent in February, from a revised 6.1 percent in January. The rate was 4.9 in February 2009.

Lincoln’s estimated unemployment rate also dropped, to 4.9 percent in February from a revised 5.2 percent in January. In February 2009, the Lincoln rate was 4.3 percent.

Unemployment rates for Omaha and Lincoln are not seasonally adjusted and cannot be compared with the state unemployment rate.

Here are the preliminary labor market rates for February, followed by the revised January rates:

— Beatrice: 6.1,6.9

— Columbus: 4.4,5.0

— Fremont: 5.5,5.8

— Grand Island: 5.2,5.4

— Hastings: 5.5,5.8

— Kearney: 4.1,4.5

— Lexington: 5.4,5.8

— Norfolk: 5.1,5.3

— North Platte: 4.5,5.0

— Red Willow: 4.5,5.2

— Scotts Bluff: 6.0,6.7

On the Net:

Nebraska Department of Labor: www.dol.nebraska.gov