Unemployment rate in Alaska.(Alaska Trends for December 2006)

Alaska trends, an outline of significant statewide, is provided by the University of Alaska center for economic development and sponsored by American fast freight.

Alaska's unemployment rate decreased gradually over the last year from 5.8 percent in August 2005 to 5.5 percent in August of this year. The rest of the United States also experienced a significant decrease, but one of slightly greater magnitude. The unemployment rate for the United States in August 2005 was 5.2 percent, which decreased to 4.6 percent in August 2006.

Examining Alaska's unemployment rate over a month's time indicates a noteworthy decrease as well, from 6.3 percent in July to 5.5 percent in August of this year. The unemployment rate for the United States also decreased significantly over a month's time: the rate for July of this year was at 5 percent, while the rate for August was 4.6 percent.

Alaska's two largest regions are perhaps responsible for this decrease. Anchorage's unemployment rate, while holding steady on a yearly basis, decreased from 5.7 percent in July to 5 percent in August of this year. Fairbanks also experienced a notable decrease in the unemployment rate from July at 5.6 percent to August at 4.8 percent. Fairbanks' unemployment rate decreased from 5.1 percent in August 2005 to 4.8 percent in August 2006. All things considered, during the past year, the unemployment rate experienced momentous changes on both national and state levels.

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