Counties with the highest unemployment in Nevada
The first jobs report under the new Trump administration showed a stable job market, with the unemployment rate ticking down from 4.1% to 4% in January, the lowest since last May, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released Feb. 7.
The report marks 49 consecutive months of overall job growth, the second-longest recorded period since 1939.
Job losses that did occur were concentrated in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industries, which declined by 8,000 jobs over the month. There was little change in employment in other major industries.
To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates Nevada, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in December 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.
Key takeaways: Jobs report reveals cooling labor market
January's job growth of 143,000 fell short of expectations, while the downward revision of 589,000 fewer jobs in 2024 suggests the labor market was weaker last year than initially thought.
Business leaders are starting to display more caution, with 67% of executives reporting higher stress levels heading into 2025, according to a survey of 1,000 executives by Sentry, a business insurance company. Among survey respondents, 47% citing economic uncertainty as their biggest concern.
"We have what I would describe as a robust but frozen labor market," Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon, told The New York Times, noting that while unemployment remains low, there's very little churn or employee turnover as "businesses are being cautious as to how they manage their work force."
Moody's Analytics projects monthly payroll gains could slow to around 100,000 by year-end.
The big story: Potential for economic headwinds grows
Behind the "Now Hiring" signs and modest unemployment rate, there's growing concern on Main Street that the economy might be more fragile than it appears.
"You've already got companies hiring as if they're in a recession—even if they're not laying people off," Oliver Allen, senior U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, told CNN. Average unemployment duration, a lagging indicator, rose from 20.8 weeks in January 2024 to 22 in January of this year.
Tightening trade regulations and federal trimming could also have an impact on the job market. Experts predict the U.S. gross domestic product could take a hit due to increased tariffs. The U.S. government is the country's largest employer and contributes 36% to the GDP.
Sudden cuts to federal spending advocated by the new administration could hit the economy hard. One example of the potential fallout is that if prices were to increase further due to higher tariffs, consumer purchasing power would decline, stymieing economic growth.
Whether the effects of slashing the workforce and the budget will be exceeded by Trump's plans to loosen business regulations and cut taxes remains to be seen.
To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Nevada.
17. White Pine County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,636 people (157 unemployed)
15. Eureka County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,069 people (41 unemployed)
15. Lander County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,238 people (123 unemployed)
14. Humboldt County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,942 people (329 unemployed)
12. Pershing County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,460 people (107 unemployed)
12. Elko County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 25,792 people (1,115 unemployed)
11. Washoe County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 265,926 people (12,039 unemployed)
8. Churchill County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,406 people (526 unemployed)
8. Storey County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,153 people (98 unemployed)
8. Esmeralda County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 481 people (22 unemployed)
7. Douglas County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,744 people (1,093 unemployed)
5. Carson City (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 26,214 people (1,310 unemployed)
5. Lincoln County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,093 people (104 unemployed)
4. Clark County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,198,486 people (71,105 unemployed)
3. Lyon County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 23,820 people (1,511 unemployed)
2. Nye County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,892 people (1,291 unemployed)
1. Mineral County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,526 people (112 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Ben Popken, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
