Inside this issueSeasonal Shopping & Retail Employment

Map Facts: Dreaming of a White Christmas

Fast Facts: The Year in Trends

Image by Joseph Pearson on Unsplash

NEBRASKA WORKFORCE

TRENDSDECEMBER 2019 ISSUE | NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

2

3 Openings & Expansions

4 Map Facts: Dreaming of a White Christmas

10 Fast Facts: The Year in Trends

12 Economic Indicators

14 County Rates

6 Seasonal Shopping & Retail Employment

Contents

Helpful LinksLabor Market Publications

Previous Issues

NEworks.nebraska.gov

Reader Feedback Survey

CreditsCommissionerJohn H. Albin

Editors Rachel StevensGrace Johnson Scott Hunzeker

Graphic Designer Hillary Lee

Image freestocks.org on Unsplash

Business Category Business Name Location

Food & Entertainment

Culver’s (Opening)Just Love Coffee Café (Opening)

Little Caesars (Opening)Runza (Opening)

Scooter’s Coffee (Opening)Talley Ho Vending (Opening)

Grand IslandChadron

ScottsbluffMilford

ScottsbluffYork

Health & FitnessMakovicka Physical Therapy (Opening)Take Back Health & Fitness (Opening)

PlattsmouthSidney

Retail/SalesBomgaars (Opening)

Dollar General (Opening)Orscheln (Expansion)

North PlatteElm CreekLexington

OtherASPM Landscapes (Expansion)

Four 30 Salon and Boutique (Opening)Norfolk

Plattsmouth

Source: Nebraska Department of LaborOpenings and expansions listed are a sampling of activity reported for that month. Some activity may have occurred outside the month. If you have an opening or expansion to report, contact us at LMI_NE@nebraska.gov.

Openings & Expansions OctoberKermit Spade, Research Analyst

Image by Click and Learn Photography on Unsplash

DECEMBER 2019

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3

4

Probability of a ‘White Christmas’ by State

The holiday season is here, and for many that means visions of a white Christmas. The featured map shows the probability of having an inch or more of snow cover on the ground on December 25. (1) This data was based on the 1981-2010 U.S. Climate Normals produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In Nebraska, the probability of a white Christmas ranged from 12% in Paxton to 58% in Laurel. The median probability statewide was 35%. An interactive version of this map, produced by NOAA, can be found online.

Map FactsJodie Meyer, Research Analyst Dreaming of a

White Christmas

Historical probability of a ‘White Christmas’ (Greater Than 1 Inch of Snow on the Ground)

0% - 10% 11% - 25% 26% - 40% 41% - 50% 51% - 60% 61% - 75% 76% - 90% 91% - 100%

Map Source: Adapted from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals, based on data recorded from 1981-2010. Original map available at https://www.climate.gov/news-features/featured-images/are-you-dreaming-white-christmas.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 5

DECEMBER 2019

Forecasting the chance of snow on Christmas is one of the many job duties of the 120 atmospheric and space scientists who were employed in Nebraska as of the third quarter of 2019. These workers earned an average of $44.55 an hour, or $92,650 annually. (2) According to the Nebraska Department of Labor’s 2016-2026 long-term occupational projections, this occupation is projected to grown by 13.5% (15 jobs) by 2026. (3)

When forecasters tell us that snow is on the way, workers in other occupations prepare to clear streets and walkways so people can travel safely. The job of clearing streets generally falls on highway maintenance workers, while clearing side-walks and walkways in public areas is often performed by janitors and cleaners, or landscapers and groundskeepers.

In the third quarter of 2019, there were 2,250 highway maintenance workers employed in Nebraska. On average, workers in this occupation made $18.39 per hour, or $38,255 annually. (2) This occupation is expected to grow by 5.8% from 2016-2026, for a total increase of 151 jobs. (3)

Nebraska was also home to 14,340 janitors and cleaners, who made an average of $13.79 per hour, or $28,671 annually. (2) Through 2026, this occupation is projected to grow by 10.4% (1,636 jobs). (3)

The 5,780 landscaping and groundskeeping workers employed in the state during the third quarter of 2019 made an average of $15.48 an hour, or $32,183 annually. (2) From 2016-2026, this occupation is expected to grow by 12.8% (929 jobs). (3)

If we do have a white Christmas this year, remember the workers out there clearing the snow to help keep you and your family safe this holiday season!

Sources:1. Osborne, Susan and Lindsey, Rebecca. Are you dreaming of a white Christmas? Climate.gov. [Online] December 17, 2018. https://www.climate.gov/news-features/featured-

images/are-you-dreaming-white-christmas.2. Nebraska Department of Labor. Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Program. Employment and Wage Estimates. [Online] Third Quarter 2019. neworks.nebraska.gov.3. Long-term Occupation Employment Projections: 2016-2026. Nebraska Statewide. [Online] July 2018. https://neworks.nebraska.gov/gsipub/index.asp?docid=440.

Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay

6

Consumers and retailers nationwide are preparing for the annual holiday shopping season. This month, we’ll examine seasonal shopping data in the United States and retail employment trends from around the country and at home in Nebraska.

Seasonal ShoppingThe U.S. Census Bureau measures seasonal shopping patterns with the Monthly Retail Trade Survey Report . In 2017, 8.7% of the approximately $5.7 trillion in total retail and food services sales in the United States was generated during November, and an additional 9.8% was generated in December. Consumers spent more than $6 trillion in total retail and food service in 2018, but the in December’s share of those sales (9.4%) declined in comparison to 2017. As seen the chart below, retail and food services sales were greatest in the months of November ($499.5 billion) and December ($560.4 billion) in 2017. In 2018, however, slightly more sales were observed in August ($523.9 billion) than in November ($522.8 billion), but December ($563.5 billion) remained the top selling month of the year. (1)

Seasonal Shopping & Retail Employment Dillon Cornett, Research Analyst

$522.8B $563.5B

$499.4B

$560.4B

$-

$100B

$200B

$300B

$400B

$500B

$600B

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec.

Billi

ons

of D

olla

rs

20182017

Monthly US Retail & Food Services Sales (in Billions of Dollars), 2017 – 2018

Chart Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Monthly Retail Trade Report. Published August 2019. Retrieved October 2019.

* Monthly sales estimates are not adjusted for seasonal variation or holiday or trading day differences.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 7

DECEMBER 2019

The chart to the left shows sales data for three retail industries which primarily sell products commonly given as holiday gifts. In each of these industries, substantial increases in sales were observed in the months of November and December in both 2017 and 2018. (1)

Of the nearly $18 billion in sales for hobby, toy, and game stores in 2017, 12.2% came in the month of November, and 17.7% came in December. Hobby, toy,

and game stores sold more than $15 billion in merchandise during 2018, with 11.7% of the industry’s total sales that year occurring in November, and 12.5% occurring in December. Consumers also spent $31 billion at jewelry stores in 2017, with 18.9% of those sales occurring in December. Jewelry store sales increased to more than $33 billion in 2018, and 18.2% of those sales took place during the month of December. Department stores sold more than $50 billion in 2017, with 10.2% of those sales occurring in November, and 16.5% in December. In 2018, department store sales dropped slightly to $47.7 billion, with 10.8% of those sales taking place in November, and 14.6% in December. (1)

Seasonal Retail EmploymentThe U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides industry employment figures via the Current Employment Statistics survey. The chart on page 8 displays employment in the U.S. and Nebraska retail trade industry sector from January 2009 to September 2019, with employment totals during the months of November and December highlighted for each year. Employment in retail trade has historically increased during the final months of each year during the annual surge of seasonal sales associated with holiday shopping. This growth is typically followed by a drop in employment during January and February. Employment then generally rises during the summer months, but to a lesser extent than the increases observed in the lead up to the holiday shopping season. (2)

Billi

ons

of D

olla

rs

Jewelry Stores Hobby, Toy, & Game Stores Department Stores (Excl. Discount Stores)

$2.8B

$5.9B

$2.9B

$6.1B$6.1B

$2.2B

$3.2B

$1.8B$1.9B

$5.1B

$8.3B

$5.2B

$6.9B

$0

$1B

$2B

$3B

$4B

$5B

$6B

$7B

$8B

$9B

2017 2018Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec.

Monthly Sales (in Billions of Dollars) in Selected US Retail Industries, 2017 – 2018

Chart Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Monthly Retail Trade Report. Published August 2019. Retrieved October 2019.

JewelryStores

Hobby, Toy, &GameStores

DepartmentStores

(Excl.DiscountStores)

18.2%

8.5%

7.2%

6.6%

7.4%

7.1%

7.7%

9.2%

7.3%

7.1%

8.0%

5.7%

12.5%

11.7%

7.5%

6.9%

6.4%

6.1%

7.4%

8.5%

8.1%

10.3%

7.4%

7.2% 5.9%

6.8%

8.0%

7.9%

8.6%

7.7%

7.4%

7.6%

7.2%

7.5%

10.8%

14.6%

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Monthly Sales as a % of Annual Totals in Selected US Retail Industries, 2018

Chart Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Monthly Retail Trade Report. Published August 2019. Retrieved October 2019.

8

In December of 2009, employment in America’s retail trade industry sector reached 14.8 million, before falling to 14.1 million in February 2010. Since then, retail employment has steadily increased to 16.3 million in December 2018, until receding again to 15.5 million in February of 2019. (2)

In Nebraska, similarly to national data, employment in the retail trade sector increased during the final months of each year during the annual surge of seasonal sales. Unlike the U.S., Nebraska’s retail industry employment appears to have decreased overall from a high point in 2015. In December of 2015, retail employment reached 114,200. Since then, Nebraska retail industry employment has increased during holiday season, but has not again reached 2015 levels. (3)

The state’s seasonal retail employment surge may have been weaker during the past few holiday shopping periods than in earlier years at least partially due to the rapid growth in ecommerce as a percentage of all retail sales. In the fourth quarter of 2015, at Nebraska’s seasonal employment peak, online shopping accounted for 8.7% of all U.S. retail purchases. By the fourth quarter of 2018, ecommerce made up 11.4% of the total. (4) Since online retailers can ship goods all over the world without employing staff in every community where there is consumer demand, this may explain why seasonal retail employment growth has been relatively modest in Nebraska in recent years, while largely continuing to match historical patterns nationwide.

NEU.S.

95

100

105

110

115

13,500

14,000

14,500

15,000

15,500

16,000

16,500

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

106.6106.9 107.2

108.6 108.7

109.7 109.8

110.5 110.8

112.2

111.8111.8

113.4113.1

114.2

113.0113.0

113.4113.4

112.6 112.7

109.9109.9 109.6109.6

14,730 14,730

14,864 14,864 14,850 14,850

15,008 15,008 15,142 15,142

15,297 15,297 15,363 15,363 15,463

15,655

15,839 15,894

16,048 16,048 16,096

16,222 16,222 16,260

16,394

16,286 16,306

16,291 16,309

U.S.

Ret

ail E

mpl

oyee

s (in

Tho

usan

ds) N

E Retail Employees (in Thousands)

November, December/

US & NE Retail Sector Employment (in Thousands), 2009 – 2019

Chart Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Current Employment Statistics. Published September 2019. Retrieved November 2019.

DECEMBER 2019

Image by freestocks.org on Unsplash

The Final WordConsistently, retail and food services sales have tended to increase during the final months of the year, with this increase being even more pronounced in certain industry subsectors. In both the U.S. and Nebraska, employment in the retail trade industry has also typically increased during November and December. The decline in retail trade industry employment observed recently in Nebraska may be due to an increase in the prevalence of online shopping trading off with traditional retail options. Whether it’s online or at your favorite brick-and-mortar store, though, one thing is for certain: ‘tis the season for shopping!

Sources: 1. United States Census Bureau. Monthly Retail Trade. August 2019 Monthly Retail Trade and Food Services report. [Online] October 16, 2019. [Cited: November 1, 2019.]

https://www.census.gov/retail/index.html#mrts.2. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Current Employment Statistics - CES (National). CEU4200000001. [Online] September 2019. [Cited: November 1, 2019.] https://www.bls.gov/ces/

home.htm.3. State and Metro Area Employment, Hours, & Earnings. SMU31000004200000001. [Online] September 2019. [Cited: November 1, 2019.] https://www.bls.gov/sae/.4. U.S. Census Bureau. 3rd Quarter 2019 Retail E-Commerce Sales Report. Estimated Quarterly U.S. Retail Sales (Not Adjusted): Total & E-commerce. [Online] November 19,

2019. [Cited: December 6, 2019.] https://www.census.gov/retail/index.html#ecommerce.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 9

10

Fast Facts Scott Ferguson, Research Analyst

The five-year survival rate for new Nebraska businesses established during the first quarter of 2013, according to a Nebraska Department of Labor analysis published in the January issue of Nebraska Workforce Trends. New businesses in the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industry had the highest five-year survival rate at 79.7%. (1)

44.6%90.8%

The expected growth in employment of wind turbine service technicians in Nebraska between 2016 and 2026, based on employment projections for green jobs discussed in the April issue. Other in-demand green jobs included soil and plant scientists and environmental engineers, projected to increase by 12.3% and 13.8% respectively. (4)

100 The number of residents in ‘Jobsville, Nebraska,’ a hypothetical scale model of the working population of Nebraska, used in the May issue to represent statewide employment patterns. For example, if Nebraska’s entire workforce were reduced to just 100 jobs, 16 of them would be in the office and administrative support occupational group, which was the largest group of occupations in the state. Retail salespersons, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, and cashiers would each account for three of the 100 total jobs in Jobsville. (5)

5,400The average increase in Nebraska employment each year between 2000 and 2017, according to an analysis of employment growth featured in the February issue. Employment gains were highest in the healthcare and social assistance industry, adding 42,545 jobs (a 42.9% increase). (2)

28,833The number of Nebraskans who were employed in computer-related occupations in 2016, according to an analysis of technology jobs published in the June issue. Employment in this group of 13 occupations is projected to grow by 15% by 2026, about 67% faster than the overall 9% growth rate for all occupations statewide. (6)

4,120The number of establishments in Nebraska’s food service and drinking places industry subsector as of the second quarter of 2018, according to an industry overview published in the March issue. These businesses provided about 70,000 jobs, making up over 7% of total employment statewide. (3)

With 2019 drawing to a close, this month’s Fast Facts reviews some of the year’s most interesting labor market information, featuring highlights from each issue of Trends published during the past 12 months. Catch up on anything you might have missed, and look forward to another year of fascinating data in 2020.

The Yearin Trends

TABLE OF CONTENTS 11

DECEMBER 2019

28%The percentage of families in Nebraska found to be living in areas with substantial child care shortages, according to a study published by the Center for American Progress in 2018. Nebraska ranked #7 out of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. for the lowest share of families experiencing such shortages. The November issue featured an analysis of Nebraska’s child care landscape, including an interactive child care dashboard showing data at the city and ZIP code level for communities statewide. (11)

109,600The number of employees working in Nebraska’s retail trade sector as of December 2018. This is down from a ten-year peak of 114,200 in December of 2015, according to an analysis of seasonal employment and retail sales in 2019’s final issue of Nebraska Workforce Trends.

35The number of fatal occupational injuries in Nebraska in 2017, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. The October issue of Trends also analyzed the number and rate of nonfatal injuries and illnesses by occupation across Nebraska and the U.S. as a whole. (10)

$39,073The average annual wage of the ten most common occupations in Nebraska’s beverage manufacturing industry, according to a spotlight on the state’s emerging craft beer industry featured in the July issue. The number of craft brewery establishments in Nebraska has increased 178% from 2011-2018, growing from 18 establishments in 2011 to 50 in 2018. (7)

192,580The number of working-age residents that Nebraska’s urban counties are projected to gain between 2020 and 2050, according to a review of demographic data released in the August issue of Trends. Rural counties, in contrast, could see a decline of 64,312 working-age Nebraskans, as the state’s overall population rises to a projected 2.27 million residents by 2050. (8)

16,349The number of 2016-2017 academic year graduates of postsecondary educational programs in Nebraska, based on data from NDOL’s Graduate Outcomes Project. In the September issue, an analysis of this cohort found that 60.5% had earnings in Nebraska in the first quarter of 2018, with their wages averaging $9,434 during this three-month period. Those who completed bachelor’s degree programs in registered nursing had the highest average earnings in this quarter ($14,001), and were the most likely to be found working in Nebraska (80.3%). (9)

1. Nebraska Department of Labor. Longitudinal Data System. [Online] November 2018. 2. U.S. Census Bureau. Quarterly Workforce Indicators. QWI Explorer. [Online] [Cited:

January 7, 2019.] https://qwiexplorer.ces.census.gov/static/explore.html.3. Nebraska Department of Labor, Office of Labor Market Information. NEworks.

Industry Profile: Food Services & Drinking Places. [Online] [Cited: February 1, 2019.] neworks.nebraska.gov.

4. NEworks: Data Download Center. Long-Term Occupation Employment Projections. [Online] July 2018. [Cited: March 4, 2019.] https://neworks.nebraska.gov/gsipub/index.asp?docid=433.

5. Occupational Employment Statistics. [Online] May 2017 employment, Fourth Quarter 2018 Wages. Produced February 2019. neworks.nebraska.gov.

6. Nebraska Department of Labor. Long-term Occupation Employment Projections (2016-2026)-Nebraska Statewide. NEworks. [Online] July 2018. https://neworks.nebraska.gov/gsipub/index.asp?docid=440.

7. Brewers Association. Nebraska Craft Beer Sales Statistics, 2018. Brewers Association For Small and Independent Craft Brewers. [Online] May 28, 2019. https://www.brewersassociation.org/statistics/by-state/?state=NE.

8. Drozd, David; Deichert, Jerry;. Nebraska County Population Projections:. [Online] December 2015. [Cited: July 22, 2019.] https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-public-affairs-and-community-service/center-for-public-affairs-research/documents/nebraska-county-population-projections-2010-to-2050.pdf.

9. Nebraska Department of Labor Graduate Outcomes Project, in cooperation with partnering postsecondary educational institutions.

10. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Fatal occupational injuries by selected characteristics, by major event or exposure, Nebraska. [Online] 2017. [Cited: August 29, 2019.] https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/tgs/2017/iiffw31.htm.

11. Center for American Progress. America’s Child Care Deserts in 2018. [Online] December 6, 2018. [Cited: November 3, 2019.] https://childcaredeserts.org/.

Sources:

12

Initial Unemployment Claims

Monthly Avg. Number of Claims per Week

Avg. Weekly EarningsAll Private Employees

Not Seasonally Adjusted

$964.52United StatesCurrent 2019

$897.75NE 10-Year High(Sept. 2019)

$673.99NE 10-Year Low (Sept. 2009)

$897.75Nebraska

Current 2019

UP +4.1%NE Vs.

Last Year

UP +3.3%

NE Vs. Last Month

$3.93NE 10-Year High (May 2011)

$2.63United States Current 2019

$2.48Nebraska

Current 2019

Gas Prices Avg. Retail Price per Gallon

(Regular-Grade Unleaded Gasoline)

DOWN -12.1%NE Vs.

Last Year

FLAT 0.0%NE Vs.

Last Month

An initial claim is a request for determination of UI program eligibility filed by an unemployed individual following a separation from an employer. It can serve as an indicator of emerging labor market conditions in the area.1

Average weekly earnings represents the mean pay received by workers for services performed over the course of one week.2

This figure represents the average price consumers paid at the pump for a gallon of regular-grade, unleaded gasoline during the specified timeframe. The main components affecting the retail price of gasoline are crude oil prices; costs and profits associated with refining, distribution, and market-ing; fluctuations in supply and demand; and federal, state, and local taxes.3

Economic Indicators Kermit Spade, Research Analyst

Data Sources: [Retrieved: November 2019.]NE- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. State and Area Employment, Hours, & Earnings. Average Weekly Earnings of All Employees, In Dollars. Nebraska (Statewide): Total Private, Not Seasonally Adjusted. Series ID SMU31000000500000011. https://data.bls.gov/PDQWeb/sm.U.S.- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment, Hours, & Earnings from the Current Employment Statistics Survey (National). Average Weekly Earnings of All Employees: Total Private, Not Seasonally Adjusted. Series ID CES0500000011. https://data.bls.gov/PDQWeb/ce.

Data Sources: [Retrieved: November 2019.]NE- U.S. Employment & Training Administration. Initial Claims in Nebraska (NEICLAIMS). Retrieved from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/NEICLAIMS.U.S.- U.S. Employment & Training Administration. Initial Claims (ICNSA). Retrieved from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/ICNSA.

Data Sources: [Retrieved: November 2019.]NE- Nebraska Energy Office. Average Monthly Retail Motor Gasoline Prices in Nebraska. Regular Unleaded.http://www.neo.ne.gov/statshtml/97.htm#regular_unleaded.U.S.- U.S. Energy Information Administration. U.S. Regular All Formulations Retail Gasoline Prices.https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/PET_PRI_GND_A_EPMR_PTE_DPGAL_M.htm.

3,273NE 10-Year High (Dec. 2009)

430NE 10-Year Low (Sept. 2019)

3,500 $1,200

$6000

511Nebraska

Current 2019

DOWN -33.4%

NE Vs. Last Year

UP +18.6%

NE Vs. Last Month

1,355NE 10-Year

Avg.$758.37

NE 10-Year Avg.

$0

$5.00

$2.87NE 10-Year

Avg.

$1.68NE 10-Year Low (Feb. 2016)

TABLE OF CONTENTS 13

DECEMBER 2019

Data Sources: [Retrieved: November 2019.]NE- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items in Midwest(CUUR0200SA0). Retrieved from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CUUR0200SA0#0.U.S.- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items(CPIAUCNS). Retrieved from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIAUCNS.

Labor Force Participation Rate

Seasonally Adjusted

UP +1.0%NE Vs.

Last Year

FLAT 0.0%

NE Vs. Last Month

The labor force is comprised of all persons age 16 and over in the civilian, noninstitu-tional population who are either employed or unemployed but available for work and actively seeking employment. It excludes people doing unpaid homemaking or volunteer work, retired people, and people who are not employed and not actively seeking work. The labor force participation rate measures the labor force as a percentage of the total civilian, noninstitutional population, age 16 and over.1

Consumer Price Index12-Month % Change

Not Seasonally Adjusted

The consumer price index (CPI) is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by consumers for goods and services. It is used to determine the real purchasing power of con-sumers’ dollars, and as a measure of inflation.6

Housing Prices4-Quarter % ChangeSeasonally Adjusted

+3.9%Midwest 10-Year High (Sept. 2011)

-0.2%Midwest 10-Year Low (Apr. 2015)

+0.1%Midwest Region

Current 2019

+8.6%NE 10-Year High (Q1 2018)

+5.0%U.S. Current

Q3 2019

-3.2%NE 10-Year Low (Q4 2010)

+6.4%Nebraska Q3 2019

The housing price index (HPI) measures the movement of single-family house prices, based on purchases involving conventional mortgages purchased or securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. “Four-quarter” change is relative to the same quarter one year earlier. HPI data are often considered useful for estimating housing affordability and projecting future changes in mortgage default rates.5

Data Sources: [Retrieved: November 2019.]NE- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Labor Force Participation Rate for Nebraska (LBSSA31). Retrieved from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LBSSA3.U.S.- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Civilian Labor Force Participation Rate (CIVPART). Retrieved from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CIVPART.

Data Source: [Retrieved: November 2019.]Federal Housing Finance Agency. Housing Price Index Datasets. Quarterly Data: Purchase-Only Indexes.https://www.fhfa.gov/DataTools/Downloads/Pages/House-Price-Index-Datasets.aspx#qpo

72.5%NE 10-Year High (Sept. 2009)69.1%NE 10-Year Low (March 2017)

63.3%United States Current 2019

69.9%Nebraska

Current 2019

All Urban Consumers: All Items Index 1982–1984 = 100

FHFA Purchase-Only Housing Price Index

50% -2.5% -10%

10%5.0%80%

70.6%NE 10-Year

Avg. +1.5%Midwest Region

10-Year Avg.3.4%

NE 10-Year Avg.

Economic Indicators

+1.7%United States Current 2019

14

NEBRASKA October Non-Farm Total Employment: 1,045,902Manufacturing: 100,309

Nebraska (Smooth Seasonally Adjusted)October Unemployment Rate: 3.1%Change (OTM): 0.0Change (OTY): -0.4

Economic Region (Not Seasonally Adjusted)Central: 2.9%Mid Plains: 3.1%Northeast: 2.8%Panhandle: 3.3%Sandhills: 2.7%Southeast: 3.5%

OMAHA MSA (Not Seasonally Adjusted) October Unemployment Rate: 2.8%October Total Non-Farm Employment: 521,651Manufacturing: 33,194

Largest OTM Increase (Private)Professional & Business Services: 1,343 (1.8%)Mining & Construction: 1,040 (3.0%)

Largest OTY Increase (Private)Mining & Construction: 5,919 (20.0%)Professional & Business Services: 3,540 (4.8%)

GRAND ISLAND MSA (Not Seasonally Adjusted)October Unemployment Rate: 4.4%October Total Non-Farm Employment: 42,661Change (OTM): -264 (-0.6%)Change (OTY): 419 (1.0%)

LINCOLN MSA (Not Seasonally Adjusted)October Unemployment Rate: 2.7%October Total Non-Farm Employment: 186,917Manufacturing: 13,683

Largest OTM Increase (Private)Trade, Transportation & Utilities: 218 (0.7%)Education & Health Services: 207 (0.7%)

Largest OTY Increase (Private)Leisure & Hospitality: 819 (4.3%)Education & Health Services: 391 (1.3%)

Sources:1. Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Employment

Statistics Program2. Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area

Unemployment Statistics Program

October 2019 County Unemployment Rates

Employment Data | October

2.4Cherry

Holt2.5

2.5Custer

Sioux2.9

3.3Lincoln

3.0Sheridan

2.9Morrill

3.3Garden

Knox2.6

Keith4.4

Dawes2.7

Rock3.4

Brown3.1

Gage5.4

Hall4.4

Dundy2.9

Chase2.5

2.7Buffalo

Grant2.9

Clay2.9

3.2Kimball

York2.6

3.2Frontier

Otoe2.9

Dawson2.8

Cedar2.6

2.8PlatteArthur

6.4

Burt3.1

2.4Perkins

4.2Cheyenne

Hayes2.6

4.7Blaine Loup

3.8

3.2Box Butte

Cass2.9

Boone2.8Banner

4.0

Polk2.9 2.7

Butler

Furnas2.8

3.1Hooker

2.6Antelope

Saline3.1

3.1Valley

2.7Pierce

Logan3.6

Thomas2.9

2.7Lancaster

Dixon2.8

Harlan3.0

Adams3.0

2.6Thayer

Dodge2.7

2.7Phelps

2.7Saunders

2.3McPherson

Deuel3.5

Howard5.3

Cuming2.7

Seward2.8

3.3Greeley

2.6Fillmore

3.3Hitchcock

2.6Garfield

3.2Franklin

2.6Keya Paha

3.6Webster

Nance2.7

2.6Madison

2.5Wheeler

2.8Nuckolls

Colfax2.7

Gosper3.1

3.3Scotts Bluff

3.1Jefferson

Wayne2.4

3.4Sherman

2.7Red Willow

2.5Kearney

3.8Hamilton

Pawnee3.3 3.0

Richardson

3.9Johnson

3.0Douglas

Boyd3.0

4.1Merrick

2.4Stanton

Nemaha3.5

3.7Thurston

Sarpy2.8

Dakota3.2

2.7Washington

County Rates2.3 - 2.7

2.8 - 3.1

3.2 - 3.7

3.8 - 4.7

4.8 - 6.4

Nebraska Workforce Trends is published by the Nebraska Department of Labor in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Program. TDD: 1.800.833.7352Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration. The product was created by the recipient and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.

Image by Arnel Hasanovic on Unsplash

LINCOLN MSA (Not Seasonally Adjusted)October Unemployment Rate: 2.7%October Total Non-Farm Employment: 186,917Manufacturing: 13,683

Largest OTM Increase (Private)Trade, Transportation & Utilities: 218 (0.7%)Education & Health Services: 207 (0.7%)

Largest OTY Increase (Private)Leisure & Hospitality: 819 (4.3%)Education & Health Services: 391 (1.3%)

Nebraska Department of LaborLabor Market Information

PHONE 800-876-1377EMAIL lmi_ne@nebraska.gov