Published on: January 6, 2026, 10:46h.

Updated on: January 6, 2026, 10:46h.

Las Vegas concluded 2025 with a significant job loss. A report released by the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) on January 6 indicates that there were 4,700 job losses from September to November, according to seasonally adjusted data. This downturn in employment has been largely attributed to the drop in tourism, a frequent subject in national discussions about the region since last summer.

Leisure and hospitality, being Nevada’s primary employment sector, along with construction, faced the greatest losses during the quarter. Gains in the trade, transportation, and utilities sectors offered some relief but were insufficient to alter the overall downward trend.

David Schmidt, the chief economist at DETR, characterized Nevada’s labor market as “relatively stable” in the report. He pointed out that although construction and finance/insurance sectors experienced the most prolonged job losses, wages continued to rise, particularly in the sectors shedding jobs, thus creating a “mixed picture” as the year came to a close.

Data from DETR indicated that while leisure and hospitality remained the largest employment sector in Nevada, it was also among the most vulnerable to variations in visitor demand. Job losses were particularly evident in hotel management, food services, and entertainment staffing.

The decline in construction jobs correlates with the completion of multiple large resort and infrastructure projects, which has diminished labor requirements after a prolonged period of growth. Additionally, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) has reported that declining visitor numbers have impacted mid-week hotel occupancy rates and convention attendance—two critical components for the region’s economy.

Tourism continues to be a significant pressure point. The LVCVA noted a 7.2% drop in visitors through November compared to the previous year, with 35.5 million tourists recorded, a decrease of 2.8 million from 2024.

This downturn has significantly affected local business confidence. According to UNLV’s Center for Business and Economic Research, confidence among local business leaders plummeted in the fourth quarter to the lowest level since the Great Recession, largely driven by weak tourism figures and broader economic instability.

Signs of stress in the labor market are also reflected in unemployment statistics. As of November 2025, the statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Nevada stood at 5.2%, placing the state third in unemployment rates, behind California at 5.6% and Washington, DC at 6.2%.