12 month trend in unemployment: Alaska Trends, an outline of significant statewide statistics, is provided by the University of

The unemployment rate tends to follow a predictable seasonal trend, hitting lows in the summer, and highs in the winter months in between. This trend is reflected at all levels, from the national level down to a city level.

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The national unemployment rate in July 2006 was 5 percent, but in the months that have followed the average rate has decreased. In January 2007, the month with the highest number of unemployed workers, the rate was also 5 percent. A low rate of 4.3 percent was seen in April and May of 2007.

The unemployment rate in Alaska tends to follow a similar annual trend, but the overall percentage of unemployed workers tends to be higher. Anchorage and Fairbanks have had similar rates over the last 12 months, with a high of 6.3 percent in Fairbanks in January, and a low of 4.8 percent in Fairbanks in May. The statewide average unemployment rate is higher than the rates seen in these two cities, due to higher rates seen in remote or rural areas. The Southeast region is lower than the state average in the summer months, but higher in the winter months. The Gulf Coast region has a higher unemployment rate than the state average year-round.

Sources: http://labor.state.ak.us, http://data.bls.gov

ALASKA TRENDS HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU THIS MONTH COURTESY OF AMERICAN FAST FREIGHT

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