Dec. 16, 2022
No. 22-24
JUNEAU, Alaska — November’s job count was up 1.7 percent from last November, an increase of 5,200 jobs. Nearly all industries recorded growth, but most remained below pre-pandemic levels. Overall, Alaska had 7,600 fewer jobs than in November 2019.
Alaska’s economy is the most seasonal among states, and November is part of the off season for many seasonal industries, such as seafood processing, tourism and construction. Typically, January has the year’s lowest job numbers.
Leisure and hospitality, an industry that was hit hard by the pandemic, added 2,100 jobs over the year. The industry depends heavily on summer visitors, but November jobs in restaurants, hotels, bars and other leisure and hospitality businesses mostly serve Alaska customers. Leisure and hospitality was still about 1,100 jobs below November 2019.
The transportation, warehousing and utilities sector was up 1,100 jobs, primarily in transportation as residents traveled in and out of state at historically normal levels. Courier and package delivery services drove some of the increase with the start of holiday shopping. Transportation, warehousing and utilities has fully recovered from pandemic-related losses, to 800 more jobs than in November 2019.
Oil and gas employment was up 500 (to 7,200), but still 2,600 jobs below November 2019. Oil and gas lost 5,400 jobs during the state recession of 2015-2018, recovered 500 jobs in 2019, and then lost 3,200 in 2020 and 2021.
A couple of industries were down from last year: state government (-700), federal government (-100), and the combined category of private education and health care, which includes private social assistance (-600, all from social assistance).
The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.5 percent in November and the comparable U.S. rate was 3.7 percent, both unchanged from the month before.
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