Weber County Economic Update

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 Weber County increased 2.2 percent year-over-year. Total county employment in the second quarter was 96,963, a 2,050 job increase from the same period in 2013.
• Private goods-producing employment increased 6.2 percent, or 1,070 jobs, from the second quarter of 2013. Manufacturing added 454 jobs, taking this industry’s employment from 12,361 in 2013 to 12,815 in 2014. Construction’s job total was 5,392 in the second quarter or 582 more jobs than a year earlier.
• Private service-providing employment added 1,121 jobs, a growth rate of 2 percent from the previous year. The trade/transportation/utilities and educational/healthcare/social services industries increased employment by 534 and 300 jobs, respectively.
• Government employment shrank 0.7 percent from the second quarter of 2013 to the second quarter of 2014. State and local governments added 55 and 30 positions respectively, while federal government lost a total of 226 jobs (declining 3.4 percent).
• September’s unemployment rate for Weber County was 4.1 percent. Over the last year, the county unemployment rate has fallen 0.7 percentage points. Weber County was 0.6 percentage points higher than the state average in September.
• On average, the number of initial unemployment claims filed per week in the second quarter (154) decreased by 16 claims from 2013 to 2014.  
• Second-quarter taxable sales in the county increased 5.1 percent from 2013 to 2014. In the second quarter of 2014 taxable sales were approximately $913.7 million, which was an increase of approximately $44 million from the previous year.

Morgan County Economic Update

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.

Davis County Economic Update

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.

• Total nonfarm employment in Davis County increased 3.2 percent year-over-year in the second quarter. From 2013 to 2014, Davis County added 3,496 jobs, resulting in a quarterly average of nonfarm employment equal to 114,439.
• Private goods-producing employment increased 7.2 percent, or 1,340 jobs, since the second quarter of 2013. Construction and manufacturing added 870 and 444 jobs, respectively.
• Private service-providing employment added 2,190 jobs year-over-year, a growth rate of 3.3 percent. The trade/transportation/utilities and the educational/healthcare/social services industries each tallied 652 and 583 new jobs.
• Government employment shrank 0.1 percent from 2013 to 2014. Federal and local governments cut jobs, losing an average of 103 and one position respectively over the year. State government added 70 jobs over the year.
• The Davis County unemployment rate settled at 3.3 percent in September 2014. Over the last 12-months the county unemployment rate has fallen 0.7 percentage points. Davis County was 0.2 percentage points lower than the state average in September.
• On average, the number of weekly initial unemployment claims filed during the third quarter decreased by 24 claims from 2013 to 2014.
• Spending in the county was also up; second-quarter taxable sales in the county increased 7.5 percent from 2013 to 2014, significantly higher than the state average of 4.2 percent. The year-over increase in spending was about $80 million higher than last year, bringing first quarter spending in 2014 to $1.15 billion.