Nevada has shed its title as the national leader in unemployment.
Statistics released Friday by the state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation show the jobless rate fell to 9.7% in January, the 18th straight month of decline.
And officials say the state's December unemployment rate of 9.8% put it below Rhode Island. That's a milestone for Nevada, which topped the jobless numbers since February 2010.
Nevada's economy added a seasonally adjusted 6,600 jobs in January, compared with a month earlier.
The unemployment figures are also improving in regional numbers that aren't seasonally adjusted. Las Vegas' rate of 10.2% is down 2.3 percentage points from a year ago.
The Reno-Sparks area's unemployment rate was 10.6% this January, and Carson City's rate was 11.2%. (AP)
Nevada Senator Harry Reid issued the following statement after Nevada's unemployment rate fell to 9.7% in January:
"Nevadans are getting back to work and the gradual fall in unemployment continues to be encouraging news. However, joblessness is still a problem in our communities. Countless individuals, from north to south, have yet to start earning a paycheck again. We can't be satisfied until all Nevadans are able to find jobs and provide for their families. We can continue to create jobs and give opportunities to small business to expand by passing a budget that invests in a strong middle class.
"This week, Senate Democrats introduced a budget that reflects the principles of balance and fairness. The plan cuts wasteful spending, reduces the deficit and closes tax loopholes that benefit the rich. It will also invest in the things that help our economy grow – education, preventive health care, worker training, and roads and bridges. The Republican alternation- the Ryan Republican budget- demands middle-class families pay more in taxes each year, it fails to close wasteful corporate tax loopholes, and it would end Medicare as we know it.
"Democrats believe it is critical that we stabilize the deficit and Nevadans and Americans have demanded a fair approach to deficit reduction that makes sensible cuts. In the spirit of balance and fairness, Republicans should join Democrats to find a solution that works."
U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) issued the following statement regarding the Nevada unemployment figures released:
"The move to single digit unemployment rates in Nevada is encouraging, and I hope to see the rate drop even lower in coming months. While of course it is good news that our state no longer leads the nation in unemployment, we must not stop until we are leading the nation with the highest employment. There are still 132,600 Nevadans unemployed. Just this month, we learned that gaming revenues have dropped and foreclosures are on the rise.
"Congress must do its part to encourage private-sector growth with smart, forward-looking policies that give businesses certainty for the long-term. I am hopeful that Congress can find a way to come together and agree on a grand bargain that will solve our nation's budget crisis and secure a better future for our children and grandchildren," said Senator Dean Heller.
