Alaska’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.4 percent for January, remaining unchanged from December. The comparable national rate was 6.6 percent.
The revised average monthly unemployment rate was 6.5 percent in 2013 down a half a percentage point from 2012’s 7.0 percent.
Alaska’s rate stabilized in 2013 while the national rate continued to fall. Alaska’s January rate was two-tenths of a percentage point lower than the national rate, the closest they’ve been since late 2008 when the national average rate first surpassed Alaska’s. While the state’s rate is close to its historical pre-recession average, the U.S. rate remains above pre-recession levels.
Not-seasonally adjusted rates increased in all but three of Alaska’s boroughs and census areas from December to January, which is normal for the season. The Kodiak Island and Aluetians East & West Boroughs were the only areas where the rate fell, a result of winter openings in several groundfish and shellfish fisheries.
The highest regional unemployment rate was 26.1 percent in the Hoonah-Angoon census area, the lowest was 4.3 percent in the North Slope Borough.