Nevada nears front of the pack in private sector growth; had trailed all states in recession

Nevada's private sector was shrinking faster than anywhere else during the recession, but it's now rebounding at one of the quickest paces in the country.

The state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation reports that Nevada's private sector grew 3.7 percent in the first six months of 2014 compared to 2013.

That rate is behind only North Dakota, which has a 4.4 percent growth rate thanks to an oil boom, and Colorado, which is growing at 3.8 percent.

The growth hearkens back to a decade ago, when Nevada had the country's highest growth rate.

The state was hit harder than any other during the recession. Its private sector shrank by 10.1 percent in 2009.