Unemployment levels out

Nevada's unemployment rate leveled out a bit in October, at 13 percent.

The state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation said Friday that a dip in the state jobless rate from September's record high of 13.3 percent was the first month-to-month decline since November 2005.

A state economist cites a shrinking work force and some stabilization in employment.

The report says the jobless rate dropped to 13 percent in the Las Vegas area, 12.2 percent in the Reno-Sparks area and 11.7 percent in Carson City. Those numbers are not seasonally adjusted.

That's an improvement from a month ago. But Nevada still outpaces the national unemployment rate of 10.2 percent in October.

A year ago, Nevada's statewide jobless rate was 7.7 percent.