Jobless rate flat; Utah job creation best in country

For the third straight month, Utah’s unemployment rate held steady at 2.8 percent in August, meaning just over 45,000 were out of work and actively seeking employment. 

The national jobless rate also remained unchanged at 3.7 percent in August.

Meanwhile, the state’s nonfarm payroll employment has grown by an estimated 3 percent, adding 45,900 jobs to the economy since August 2018. Utah’s current employment level sits at about 1,562,500.{mprestriction ids="1,3"}

“The Utah economy continues functioning as a strong societal support,” said Mark Knold, senior economist at the Utah Department of Workforce Services. “Job growth remains as one of the nation’s best, and that growth’s scope is extensive across the industrial spectrum. One of the few areas not increasing employment is brick-and-mortar retail establishments due to the rise of e-commerce.”

Utah’s private-sector employment has grown by 3.4 percent in the past year with the addition of 43,400 positions. All 10 of the private-sector major industry groups measured in the establishment survey posted net job increases in August. 

The largest private-sector employment increases were in professional and business services (10,200 jobs), education and health services (10,000 jobs) and manufacturing (6,300 jobs). The fastest employment growth occurred in construction (5.4 percent), natural resources (5.2 percent) and education and health services (5 percent).

Following Utah’s release of the August 2019 employment numbers, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data shows Utah is ranked No. 1 for total job growth in the U.S. at 3 percent, tied with Nevada. In addition, Utah is ranked No. 1 for private- sector job growth at 3.4 percent.{/mprestriction}