Wyoming added 2,800 jobs in the last quarter of 2018. That's according to the latest economic summary from the state of Wyoming's Economic Analysis Division.
The report covers the last three months of 2018 and shows personal income improved and housing prices increased when compared to the same time in 2017.
Jim Robinson, principal economist with the state's Economic Analysis Division, said while mining typically is the backbone of Wyoming's economy, it wasn't the biggest economic force.
"The bigger driver in this last report was the improvement in the private jobs in the state. And that might be indirectly tied into mining," he said. "But here's the thing: it's not oil and gas jobs. The jobs there are barely changing at all."
According to a report recently compiled by Robinson, Wyoming has 4,500 more jobs in February 2019 than it did the year before, many of which were in construction. The mining industry lost 100 jobs.
Robinson said the growth is coming from counties in eastern Wyoming where pipeline construction is occurring and in counties with wind farm construction.
The report shows the state is bouncing back from the economic downturn in 2015 and 2016, Robinson said.
"We've been showing fairly steady, but modest improvement year after year since that point. And mining is a part of that but to some extent tourism," he said.
Robinson said the state's economy is improving because Wyoming residents are able to get more work and work longer during the week compared to a year ago and that hourly wages have increased.
