Nevada led nation in private sector job growth in first half of 2017
The Silver State maintained the highest private sector job growth in the United States through the first half of 2017, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval announced Friday.
During the recession, Nevada’s employment growth was the lowest in the nation in 2009 (-10.1 percent) and 2010 (-2.8 percent). With data through the second quarter of 2017, Nevada has regained the title of the fastest growing private sector in the United States, with the addition of 41,000 jobs relative to the first six months of 2016, a growth rate of 3.7 percent.
“Driven by a dynamic small business community, Nevada’s economy exceeded all expectations in 2017. Because of our consistent and diversified growth, Nevada businesses have helped place our state on solid financial footing and more Nevadans have long-term employment than ever before,” said Sandoval in a news release. “I continue to be impressed with the sustained growth of our private sector. We continue to break state records and today’s announcement reaffirms that Nevada is the best in the nation in job growth.”
In the years preceding the economic downturn, Nevada led the nation in private sector employment growth, before falling to the bottom of the rankings at the height of the recession, according to Bill Anderson Chief Economist, for the state's Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.
"The Silver State went from the top of the rankings to the bottom over the course of a short three-year period,” said Anderson. “After six years of sustained growth beginning in 2011, the Silver State is once again first in the nation for private sector job growth through the first six months of this year."
Nevada has added 41,000 jobs relative to the first half of 2016, a growth of 3.7 percent, outpacing Idaho, Utah, and Florida. Nevada has been consistently at or near the top of the job growth rankings since 2014, said Anderson.