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Spectacular vista of Henderson, Neada with the Las Vegas strip in the background. City View Trail in the MacDonald Ranch section of Henderson. Henderson Nevada Vista With Las Vegas In… <\/p>\n Spectacular vista of Henderson, Neada with the Las Vegas strip in the background. City View Trail in the MacDonald Ranch section of Henderson. Henderson Nevada Vista With Las Vegas In… <\/p>\n
A desert state known for its casinos and scorching temperatures is seeing a jobs boom as workers and businesses increasingly flock from neighboring California<\/a>.<\/p>\n Nevada\u2019s game-changing lithium reserves are fueling the surge<\/a>, with the mineral becoming increasingly valuable as demand for artificial intelligence technology grows.<\/p>\n \u201cEconomically, Nevada is a relatively small state being mentioned in the same breath as California, Texas, Florida,\u201d David Schmidt, chief economist for Nevada\u2019s Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, told CNBC<\/a>.<\/p>\n The jobs market is posting \u201creally remarkable numbers that we\u2019re seeing,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Nevada\u2019s workforce grew 1.9% between April 2025 and April 2026, the fastest rate in the nation and well ahead of the 0.2% increase recorded nationally, the outlet reported, citing Bureau of Labor Statistics data.<\/p>\n The growth was so strong that roughly 12% of all new jobs created in the United States during that period were added in Nevada, despite the state accounting for only about 1% of the country\u2019s population.<\/p>\n Economic leaders say the gains are the result of years of efforts to diversify Nevada\u2019s economy beyond gambling and entertainment.<\/p>\n Professional and business services jobs led Nevada\u2019s growth over the past year, followed by education and health services positions. Schmidt attributed some of that growth to Nevada\u2019s favorable tax policies<\/a>.<\/p>\n Nevada has also become increasingly attractive to companies pursuing new or expanded mining projects because of its bountiful lithium supplies, he said.<\/p>\n Lithium is a key component in batteries<\/a> used to help run AI models, while Nevada\u2019s roughly 110,000 square miles of open land have made it an attractive location for AI-related infrastructure, including data centers.<\/p>\n The hiring boom comes as the state\u2019s gaming industry has softened \u2014 Nevada\u2019s economy is becoming less dependent on gambling and tourism.<\/p>\n An analysis of federal data found that about 60% of new jobs added in the Las Vegas region between 2016 and 2025 came from industries outside hospitality, construction and government.<\/p>\n LV Petroleum CEO Kris Roach told CNBC he has hired hundreds of workers over the past year to staff the company\u2019s restaurants and travel centers.<\/p>\n Roach said recruiting has been \u201cvery easy,\u201d with some management openings drawing more than 100 applications.<\/p>\n He also pointed to a strong pool of white-collar workers, including former casino employees, for positions in finance and human resources.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a great state to operate in,\u201d Roach said. \u201cThere\u2019s so much untapped talent.\u201d<\/p>\n Nevada\u2019s population growth has also helped fuel the hiring boom.<\/p>\n Economists have linked part of that growth to the state\u2019s proximity to California, with federal data showing Nevada\u2019s population increased more than 62% between 2000 and 2025, compared with roughly 21% nationwide.<\/p>\n The state also remains less expensive than neighboring California, Idaho and Arizona.<\/p>\n Emma Keserich, who moved to Las Vegas from the Washington, DC area last year said many newcomers are surprised by what they find.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople think Las Vegas is just the Strip,\u201d Keserich told CNBC. \u201cThere\u2019s just more than what meets the eye.\u201d<\/p>\n Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/p>\n California Post News: Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, WhatsApp<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a> Nevada\u2019s game-changing lithium reserves are fueling the surge of Californians fleeing to the desert state. rsgphoto \u2013 stock.adobe.com
Nevada\u2019s roughly 110,000 square miles of open land have made it an attractive location for AI-related infrastructure. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images <\/p>\n
The Nevada hiring boom comes as the state\u2019s gaming industry, centered in Las Vegas, has softened. USA TODAY Sports <\/p>\n
About 60% of jobs added in Las Vegas came from industries outside hospitality, construction and government. Joshua Resnick \u2013 stock.adobe.com <\/p>\n
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