Second quarter employment in the Wasatch Front North (WFN) region grew 2.7 percent from 2013 to 2014. The WFN increased employment at almost the same rate as the rest of the state, which grew 2.8 percent over the same period. In total, the region added 5,611 nonfarm payroll jobs year-over-year for a quarterly average of 213,346. Annual growth in the WFN slowed a bit from the 2.8 percent rate in the first quarter of 2014.
Second-quarter total nonfarm employment in Morgan County grew 3.5 percent from 2013 to 2014. Morgan County added a quarterly average of 65 nonfarm jobs year-over-year, resulting in total employment equal to 1,943.
Private goods-producing employment increased 4.4 percent (23 more jobs). Construction employment, the region’s largest goods-producing industry, was up one job.
Private service-providing employment grew 7.8 percent from the second quarter of 2013, adding 68 jobs. Professional/business services increased by 33 jobs to an average quarterly employment total of 123.
Government employment in the second-quarter declined by 26 jobs, which were all reductions in local government (most losses, 23, were cuts in the school district).
The unemployment rate in Morgan County was 3.3 percent in September. Since September 2013, the county unemployment rate has fallen 0.6 percentage points. Morgan County’s unemployment rate was slightly below the state average of 3.5 percent in September.
The average number of initial unemployment claims filed per week in the third quarter of 2014 was 2 claims, approximately 1 fewer claim than the 2013 average.
On a percentage basis, Morgan County had the fifth largest increase in second-quarter taxable sales. Taxable sales in the county jumped 12.8 percent from 2013 to 2014. Second-quarter spending was approximately $21.9 million, an increase of $2.5 million from the previous year.
