The unemployment rate for American Fork continues to lag behind Utah County’s, though it fell nearly half a point in one month. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Fork’s unemployment rate dropped 0.4 percentage points in April, standing at 4.8 percent. In a measure of how quickly the job market improved in 2013, American Fork started the year with a 6.6 percent unemployment rate. Still, the city touted in November 2007 a 2.6 percent rate, the decade’s second lowest (it recorded 2.4 percent in Dec. 2006).

Overall, optimism about the long-term labor market and continued momentum in the housing markets have helped consumer confidence. The most recent report from RealtyTrac shows the number of properties that received a foreclosure filing in American Fork was 56 percent lower than the previous month and 75 percent lower than the same time last year. Home sales for April 2013 were up 23 percent compared with a year ago.

While gasoline prices in Utah County increased roughly 3.9 percent in the last month, they have continued to drop as a national average. Utah’s gas prices are above the national average price of $3.57 a gallon, which fell approximately 2.0 percent from $3.64 in the last month, according to the AAA fuel gauge report.

Danny Crivello can be reached at crivello@citizen.af or via cell at 801-477-6397.

Follow @AFCITIZEN