Nebraska unemployment rate dipped a tenth of a point in June, to 4.8 percent, state says

Nebraska jobless rate dips to 4.8 percent in June

LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska’s unemployment rate dropped a tenth of a percentage point in June to 4.8 percent, the same rate as a year ago.

In a report issued Tuesday, the state said that compared with May, when the rate was 4.9 percent, there were fewer people in the labor force and fewer people unemployed, but fewer people with jobs.

The total number of people employed in the state dropped to 936,114 in June, compared with 940,180 in May.

The total unemployed: 47,687 in June, compared with 48.696 in May.

The total labor force: 983,801 in June, compared with 988,876 in May.

The report said three sectors of the Nebraska economy added jobs last month. Mining, logging and construction added 2,500 jobs; leisure and hospitality added 1,936; and professional and business services utilities added 1,621.

Nebraska’s unemployment rate was a little more than half the national rate of 9.5 percent in June.

At 4.8 percent, Nebraska again had the third-lowest rate in the nation, trailing North Dakota’s 3.6 percent and South Dakota’s 4.5 percent.

The unemployment rate for Nebraska’s largest city, Omaha, rose to 5.5 from 5.1 percent in May. The rate was 5.3 percent in June 2009.

The estimated unemployment rate in the capital city of Lincoln also rose, to 4.7 percent from May’s 4.2 percent. In June 2009, the Lincoln rate was 4.8 percent.

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

Here are the preliminary labor market rates for June, followed by the revised May rates:

— Beatrice: 5.4, 4.9

— Columbus: 4.3, 3.8

— Fremont: 5.4, 4.9

— Grand Island: 4.6, 4.3

— Hastings: 5.0, 4.4

— Kearney: 3.9, 3.5

— Lexington: 5.5, 4.7

— Norfolk: 4.6, 4.1

— North Platte: 4.4, 3.6

— Red Willow: 4.4, 3.8

— Scotts Bluff: 5.7, 5.3

Online:

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