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Monthly Economic Indicators

The unemployment rate throughout the seven counties in the Metro Denver area reported significant improvements between June 2013 and 2014. The Metro Denver unemployment rate fell 1.8 percentage points over-the-year to 5.1 percent and was 0.1 percentage point lower than the May level.

Metro Denver retail sales increased through March 2014, reporting a strong recovery from slow retail sales growth in the beginning of the first quarter. Metro Denver retail sales increased 5.6 percent over-the-year, with total retail sales reaching $9.7 billion in March. Each of the seven Metro Denver counties reported over-the-year increases as well as over-the-month growth.

The Denver Metro Apartment Vacancy and Rent Survey for the second quarter of 2014 reported the second consecutive quarter of decreasing vacancy rates. The Metro Denver apartment vacancy rate fell 0.4 percentage points from the first quarter level, as declines in three of the six submarkets contributed to the over-the-quarter decline. The second quarter average rental rate in Metro Denver ($1,117) was 4.1 percent higher than the previous quarter’s level. This rate was also 9.3 percent higher than the second quarter of 2013, marking the 17th consecutive quarter of over-the-year gains.