Las Vegas ended 2025 with one of the highest jobless rates in the nation for big metro areas, amid a slump in tourism to America’s casino capital and broader economic jitters.
The Las Vegas-area’s unemployment rate in December was 5.2 percent, down from 5.9 percent a year earlier. Still, the local jobless rate was second highest among the 50-plus metro areas with at least 1 million people, according to non-seasonally adjusted data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Topping the list, and well above Las Vegas, was Fresno, California, at 8.2 percent. Honolulu had the lowest jobless rate in the group in December, at 2.1 percent.
Las Vegas’ economy had some bright spots lately. Southern Nevada posted a monthly gain in jobs, and consumer spending pushed higher from year-ago levels in some key categories.
