Washoe County Economic Indicators — 1st Half...

Except for natural resources and mining jobs, which remained flat, every major industrial category in the Reno MSA lost jobs over the year, and some of the losses were huge. By mid-2009, the Reno-Sparks area had earned the dubious distinction of leading the nation in percentage loss of construction jobs, which were down 5,800 in June compared to a year earlier – a 33% decline in an industry that has already shed over half of its jobs since the market’s peak.  Washoe County’s construction employment peaked at 25,500 jobs in June 2006; in June 2009, there were just 11,600 construction jobs. Record levels of unemployment in Washoe County have been the hallmark of 2009 after ramping up significantly during 2008.  The Truckee Meadows began 2009 with a 9% unemployment rate – itself a shocking number — and steadily increased to 12% by mid-year.  Compared to the average rates in 2006 (4%) and 2007 (4.6%) Washoe County’s rising unemployment is certainly cause for alarm because...