The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for July increased two-tenths of a percent to reach 7.0 percent. This is much higher than the national average, which was 4.3 percent last month.
Again, the story for employment in Alaska is job loss. An estimated 7,500 jobs were lost from July 2016 to July 2017. The industries with the largest losses were oil and gas, construction, professional and business services and state government. Each had over 1,000 jobs lost in comparison to July 2016. Local and federal government and healthcare did see gains over last year’s employment in July.
Not-seasonally adjusted unemployment was 6.6 percent in July. It was a down four-tenths of a percent from June, which is a slightly smaller than usual decrease. July and August are the height of seasonal employment in seafood processing, construction, and leisure and hospitality.
The boroughs with the lowest unemployment continue to be areas with a lot of fishing and tourism. Kusilvak Census Area continues to have the highest unemployment in the state at 24.5 percent.
Detailed employment numbers can be found at the State of Alaska's website.
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