Alaska's population declines for second consecutive year

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – Alaska’s population has declined for a second consecutive year, dropping by 1,608 people to a total of 736,239, according to a state report.

A report released Thursday by the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development shows 7,577 residents left as Alaska gained 5,969 people from July 2017 to July 2018, the Juneau Empire reported.

Some residents left to pursue job opportunities outside the state as unemployment rates in the state have consistently topped 6 percent in the last two years. Alaska has the highest unemployment rate in the country at 6.3 percent as of N...