The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development found December’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.5 percent, essentially unchanged from November’s 6.4 percent.
The not-seasonally adjusted rate in December was 6.6 percent, up from November’s 6.4 percent, making it the only month in 2015 that had a higher unemployment rate than the same month the previous year.
Alaska’s jobless rates remained flat or rose in 27 out of the state’s 29 boroughs and census areas which the department reports as normal for that time of the year.
The Department shows a steady increase of non-farm jobs for the Gulf Region over the last few years, which includes the Kenai Peninsula.
In 2015, the seasonally adjusted rate showed no clear trend which was consistent with other economic indicators that show last year’s economy as relatively flat.
The national rate for seasonally adjusted unemployment was 5 percent.