Neb. unemployment improves to 3.8 pct. in October

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- Nebraska's unemployment rate declined to 3.8 percent in October to remain one of the lowest rates in the nation, the state Labor Department said in a report released Tuesday.

The preliminary state rate for October was less than last year's 4.4 percent and lower than this September's 3.9 percent rate.

The Nebraska Department of Labor says the state unemployment rate was less than half the national rate of 7.9 percent in October. The national rate is down from last October's 8.9 percent but up slightly from September's 7.8 percent.

Only North Dakota's September rate of 3.1 percent was lower than Nebraska's.

"Good weather is keeping construction numbers up, and a variety of industries are showing growth," Labor Commissioner Catherine Lang said.

The number of unemployed people in Nebraska was estimated at 38,229 in October. That's lower than the 39,854 in September and the 44,081 unemployed last October.

In Nebraska's largest city, the unemployment rate increased slightly to 3.9 percent in October from September's 3.8 percent. The rate remained below last October's 4.6 percent.

In Lincoln, the unemployment rate also increased slightly in October to 3.2 percent over the previous month's 3.1 percent. A year ago, the Lincoln unemployment rate was 3.6 percent in October.

The unemployment rates for Lincoln and Omaha are not seasonally adjusted, the department has said, so they cannot be directly compared to the state unemployment rate.

Here are preliminary area labor market unemployment rates for October, followed by the revised September rates:

— Beatrice: 4.3, 4.2

— Columbus: 3.0, 3.0

— Fremont: 3.8, 3.8

— Grand Island: 3.4, 3.2

— Hastings: 3.3, 3.1

— Kearney: 2.7, 2.6

— Lexington: 3.7, 3.8

— Norfolk: 3.1, 3.0

— North Platte: 3.0, 2.9

— Red Willow: 3.1, 2.9

— Scotts Bluff: 3.9, 3.8

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Online:

Nebraska Department of Labor: http://www.dol.nebraska.gov