Unemployment in Nebraska remained one of the lowest in the country during April as the state's jobless rate held steady at 5 percent -- about half of the national average -- and the number of unemployed people in Omaha and Lincoln shrunk.
More than 2,000 Nebraskans entered the labor force and 1,847 more people found jobs during the month. The number of unemployed workers increased by 357.
The job gains are typical during this time of year, said Cathy Lang, Nebraska's Labor Commissioner.
"We normally expect to see seasonal job gains from March to April," she said in a statement. "This year we saw a bigger than normal increase...For April, we observe a significant increase in the number of citizens that are employed. This is a positive sign for our state's economy."
The unemployment rate in the Omaha metropolitan area, which isn't seasonally adjusted, dropped to 5.5 percent in April from 5.9 percent in March. Lincoln, which also isn't seasonally adjusted, experienced similar improvements, posting an April jobless figure of 4.5 percent compared to 5 percent the previous month.
Iowa's unemployment last month edged up to 6.9 percent from 6.8 percent in March, mostly because of an increase in the number of people now looking for jobs.
There are now 116,800 unemployed workers in Iowa and 49,671 jobless Nebraskans.
Nebraska's unemployment rate is the third lowest in the country, behind North Dakota, 3.8 percent; and South Dakota, 4.7 percent.
Both states remain well below the national average for unemployment, which for April inched up to 9.9 percent from 9.7 percent. However, both states' jobless rates are much higher than historical averages.
Contact the writer:
444-1414, ross.boettcher@owh.com
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