JUNEAU, Alaska—Alaska’s total employment was down by an estimated 1.0 percent in December compared to December 2016, a loss of about 3,300 jobs.
Oil and gas employment was down 8.6 percent and construction employment by 6.7 percent. Healthcare was the only industry to add jobs. Transportation, warehousing, and utilities remained at the same level as last year, as did the other services industry, which includes repair, maintenance, and personal services. Both state and federal government employment were down 1.3 percent.
Alaska’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate inched up one-tenth of a percentage point to 7.3 percent after holding steady at 7.2 percent since August. The comparable national rate for December was 4.1 percent.
Alaska’s not-seasonally adjusted rate was also 7.3 percent, up two-tenths of a percentage point from November. Unemployment rates were up in 22 of 29 boroughs and census areas. As is common in the winter, the highest rates were in the Denali Borough and Skagway, where most employment is tied to summer tourism.
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Unemployment rates fell in five boroughs and census areas and were flat in Anchorage and Ketchikan. The rate decreases were in Yakutat, Skagway, the Northwest Arctic Borough, the North Slope Borough, and the Southeast Fairbanks Census Area.
Source: State of Alaska
