State officials say Nevada's unemployment rate is continuing to drop — down to 6.2 percent in January.
Figures released Wednesday by the state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation showed a percentage-point decrease from December, which officials revised down from 6.4 percent to 6.3 percent.
Gov. Brian Sandoval is calling it an encouraging start to the year.
The figure was 7.1 percent in a year ago.
Chief economist Bill Anderson notes that since peaking at 13.7 percent in the summer of 2008, the state jobless rate has declined or held steady every month since October 2010.
Figures show that construction continues to lead the way, with job growth in excess of 10 percent year-to-year.
In all, the state says 89,400 Nevadans are unemployed, compared with 185,000 during the recession.