Nebraska unemployment rate dips below 5 percent in May even though more people seek jobs

Nebraska unemployment rate improves to 4.9 percent

LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska’s unemployment rate improved to 4.9 percent in May even though more people are looking for jobs now than there were a year ago, according to estimates released Friday.

The state unemployment rate was 5 percent in March and April.

The rate is two-tenths of a percentage point higher than in May 2009.

Nebraska continues to have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation, well below the national rate of 9.7 percent in May. The national rate is down slightly from April’s 9.9 percent.

At 4.9 percent, Nebraska again had the third-lowest rate in the nation, trailing North Dakota’s 3.6 percent and South Dakota’s 4.6 percent.

Nebraska’s seasonally adjusted labor force included 988,839 people in May. The total labor force is 4,816 bigger than in May 2009 but 1,650 smaller than in April 2010.

The total number of people employed in the state hit 940,142 in May. That’s 2,702 higher than in May 2009 but 580 smaller than in April 2010.

Labor Commissioner Catherine Lang said job growth was reported throughout the state in both metropolitan and rural areas in May.

The Nebraska report said three sectors of the Nebraska economy again added jobs last month. Trade, transportation and utilities was up 2,438 jobs; mining, logging and construction was up 1,540 jobs; and professional and business services utilities was up 1,235 jobs.

The unemployment rate for the state’s largest city, Omaha, improved to 5.1, from April’s 5.5 percent. The rate was 4.9 percent last May.

The estimated unemployment rate in the capital city of Lincoln also dropped, to 4.2 percent from April’s 4.5 percent. In May 2009, the Lincoln rate was 4.4 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 May, followed by the revised April rates:

— Beatrice: 4.9, 5.3

— Columbus: 3.8, 4.1

— Fremont: 4.9, 5.2

— Grand Island: 4.3, 4.9

— Hastings: 4.4, 4.8

— Kearney: 3.5, 3.7

— Lexington: 4.7, 5.0

— Norfolk: 4.1, 4.4

— North Platte: 3.6, 4.0

— Red Willow: 3.8, 4.1

— Scotts Bluff: 5.2, 5.9

Online:

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