Utah’s nonfarm payroll employment saw a 2.3% increase over the past 12 months, adding 40,300 jobs since August 2023, according to the latest report from the Utah Department of Workforce Services. The state’s total job count now stands at 1,760,800.
Utah’s unemployment rate in August was 3.3%, with approximately 59,700 residents unemployed. This marks a slight increase from July’s unchanged 3.2% rate. Nationally, the unemployment rate dropped by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2%.
“The labor market in Utah continues to expand at a healthy rate, even as the unemployment rate has ticked up,” said Ben Crabb, chief economist with the Utah Department of Workforce Services. “Utah still sees a strong labor market as most sectors of the economy have added jobs.
“Much of the rise in the unemployment rate can be attributed to new entrants into the labor market who are searching for a job, rather than due to an increase in layoffs.”
Private sector employment in Utah grew by 2.1% year-over-year, adding 30,600 jobs. Six out of ten major private-sector industries posted gains, led by education and health services with 14,500 new jobs, construction with 8,900, and professional and business services with 6,900. However, leisure and hospitality (-100), financial services (-300), and trade, transportation, and utilities (-2,000) experienced year-over-year losses.