County labor market stays hot during May

The Clark County economy continued its hot streak into May, according to the latest labor market update from the state Employment Security Department.

The county added 500 nonseasonal jobs for the month and the unemployment rate remained at 5 percent, the lowest rate since 2000. Last month, April posted a blistering gain of 900 nonseasonal jobs, and that has since been revised to 1,300.

Regional economist Scott Bailey said that revision came largely from a jump in the accommodation and food services sector. Much of that could be attributed, he said, to the recent opening of Ilani Casino Resort near La Center in April.

In May, unadjusted nonfarm trends continued as expected. The sectors of government and leisure and hospitality each added 400 jobs in preparation for the summer. Construction and business services added 300 jobs apiece, as well.

Meanwhile, professional services fell by 200 jobs, a deflation that Bailey says happens every year after its peak during the April tax season.

Clark County has added 5,400 more jobs this year than at the same point last year, the report said. That represents a 3.5 percent job growth rate, which is higher than for the United States, at 1.6 percent; Washington, at 2.5 percent; Oregon, at 2.5 percent; and the Vancouver-Portland metropolitan area, at 1.9 percent.