Nebraska’s unemployment rate went up slightly, while U.S. rate declined a bit

Nebraska and U.S. unemployment rates over time. (Courtesy of Nebraska Department of Labor)

LINCOLN — Nebraska's unemployment rate went up slightly last month while the national unemployment rate went down slightly, according to preliminary and seasonally adjusted data released Friday.

In Nebraska, the unemployment rate for August was 2.7%, up 0.1% from July's 2.6%.

national unemployment rate was 4.2%, down 0.1% from the July rate of 4.3%.

Nebraska is tied with Mississippi for having the 5th lowest unemployment rate in the country.

South Dakota has the lowest at 2.0%, followed by Vermont at 2.2%, North Dakota, 2.3% and New Hampshire, 2.6%.

"New entrants and re-entrants to the labor force (who are still looking for a job) were up over the month and are the drivers of the uptick in the unemployment rate," said Labor Commissioner John Albin.

The numbers of employed and unemployed people in the labor force are based on a survey by the U.S. Census Bureau. Individuals claiming unemployment benefits and those who are not claiming unemployment benefits can both be counted as unemployed based on their survey responses.

Individuals who are not working and are not looking for work are not considered part of the labor force and are not included in the unemployment rate calculation.

Nonfarm jobs filled in Nebraska reached 1,071,382, down 2,300 from the month before and up 21,696 from the prior year. Private industries showing the most growth over a year's time were private education and health services, up 8,024 jobs and manufacturing, up 4,184 jobs.

Nationally, the District of Columbia had the highest unemployment rate, 5.7%. It was followed by Nevada, at 5.5%, and Illinois and California, which were both at 5.3%.