As 2023 draws to an end, the Department of Workforce Services (DWS) continues in its effort to release employment information. In the state of Utah for October, the non-farm payroll employment increased an estimated 2.2%.
Since October of 2022, Utah’s economy added a cumulative 38,200 jobs and the current job count stands at 1,742,400. The DWS reported that the seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was estimated at 2.7%, which is one tenth of a percentage point increase over the month of September.
There are approximately 49,300 Utahns that are unemployed, leaving the state’s September unemployment rate unrevised at 2.6%. The October national unemployment rate did increase one tenth of a percentage point, sitting at 3.9%.
Mark Knold, who is the Chief Economist for the DWS, stated that over the past few months, the job growth rates in Utah have maintained around the 2% range.
“While slightly below the state’s long-term average, it’s remarkable that this deceleration in job growth has only recently occurred, especially considering the record low unemployment of the past year,” Knold shared.
The private sector employment for Utah in October recorded a year-over-year expansion of 2.1%, which is a 29,900 job increase. Seven of the ten major private-sector industry groups posted net year-over-year job gains, with the overall gains being led by leisure and hospitality services with 11,500 jobs.
Education and health services came in with 8,700 jobs, followed by other services (4,200 jobs) and information (3,300 jobs). There were no changes over the year in natural resources.
The DWS reported that the two sectors that showed job losses were trade/transportation/utilities at -1,000 jobs and manufacturing with a recorded -1,000 jobs as well.