The Reno metro area was ranked #1 nationwide for job growth by the Milken Institute's 2018 Best-Performing Cities List.
Reno-Sparks also added 48,000 new jobs in the last five years, with 2018 seeing 29 companies move or expand into the area - including 15 headquarter relocations.
Nevada, meanwhile, topped all states in December with a 3.9 percent year-over-year increase in employment numbers, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
The Reno-Sparks metro area did even better, boasting a 5.2 increase in employment.
A heavy reliance on gaming and tourism in the past have made Reno-Sparks vulnerable to the impact of recessions and economic downturns.
New jobs added in recent years, however, paint a more diversified picture. Leisure and hospitality was only the sixth leading driver of new employment and accounted for less than a percent of the jobs added in the last five years.
Construction - which led the way during the housing boom before proceeding to lose 70 percent of its workforce during the recession that began in 2007 - has bounced back but is no longer the leading driver for new employment. The sector was in fourth place for new job creation, according to Bureau of Labor and Statistics data.
CES is Survey of Employers.
CPS is Survey of Households.
A look at the top five industries that contributed the most net growth in jobs over the last five years show increased emphasis in other sectors:
Trade, transportation and utilities: 11,400.
Professional and business services: 9,000.
Manufacturing: 8,400.
Construction: 7,900.
Education: 3,700.
Gaming and Tourism still comprise a big part of the overall Northern Nevada economy. But the region is in better shape now with increased diversity.
