The Denver metro area registered an unemployment rate of 8.1 percent in December, not seasonally adjusted, down from 8.9 percent a year ago, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said today.
Nationally, the unemployment rate was 8.3 percent in December, not seasonally adjusted, down from 9.1 percent a year ago. On a seasonally adjusted basis — the number used for month-to-month comparisons — unemployment was 8.5 percent nationally, down from 9.4 percent a year ago.
Four of the ten industry sectors in the metro area added more than 1,500 jobs from December 2010 to December 2011, the bureau said.
Employment in professional and business services and trade, transportation, and utilities continued to expand with gains of 7,000 and 4,800, respectively.
Education and health services gained 1,700 jobs; and mining, logging and construction gained 1,600 jobs over the year.
In contrast, three of ten industry supersectors lost more than 1,500 jobs from one year ago.
The government sector shed 2,600 jobs, employment in the information sector declined by 2,100, and financial activities lost 1,900 jobs since December 2010.
Seasonally adjusted, total nonfarm employment in the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield metro area was little changed (-0.1 percent) from November to December 2011.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
