LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County’s unemployment rate dropped slightly in February with the addition of 160 jobs, according to the newest report on local and state unemployment, released Friday.

The California Employment Development Department reported that Lake County’s preliminary February jobless rate was 16.5 percent, down from the revised January rate of 16.6 percent, and down from 18.5 percent from February 2011.

Lake was ranked at No. 42 out of the state’s 58 counties for its February unemployment rate, an improvement from No. 43 in January, according to the state’s data.

At the same time, California’s rate was unchanged in February at 10.9 percent, down from 12 percent the previous February. Nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 4,000 during February for a total gain of 333,100 jobs since the recovery began in September 2009.

Nonfarm jobs in California totaled 14,184,500 in February, an increase of 4,000 jobs over the month, according to a survey of 42,000 California businesses measuring jobs in the economy. The year-over-year change – February 2011 to February 2012 – showed an increase of 127,300 jobs, up 0.9 percent.

A federal survey of 5,500 California households serves as the basis for determining California unemployment rate.

On a nationwide level, the unemployment rate in February was 8.3 percent, the same as in January, and down from 9 percent in February 2011, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Dennis Mullins of the Employment Development Department’s North Coast Region Labor Market Information Division said total Lake County wage and salary employment increased 160 jobs between January and February and remained up by 410 jobs over the year.

Government remained down for the year over, with a loss of 40 jobs, he said.

Year-over job growth occurred in farm, 380;  trade, transportation and utilities, 40, professional and business services, 30; leisure and hospitality, 10; and other services, 60, according to Mullins.

Mullins said industry sectors with no change over the year included manufacturing and financial activities.

Industry sectors with decline over the year included mining, logging and construction, with a loss of 30 jobs; information, down 10; private educational and health services, down 30; and government, a loss of 40 jobs, he said.

While Lake enjoyed a slight improvement in its rate, its neighboring counties – with the exception of Napa – saw their rates climb slightly in February, based on the Employment Development Department’s report.

Lake’s surrounding counties' employment figures were as follows: Colusa, 27.1 percent, No. 58; Glenn, 17.1 percent, No. 46; Mendocino, 11.1 percent, No. 19; Napa, 8.9 percent, No. 7; Sonoma County, 9.3 percent, No. 10; and Yolo, 14.4 percent, No. 33.

Marin County had the state’s lowest unemployment in the state, remaining at 6.6 percent, while Colusa County's rate ticked up by one-tenth to 27.1-percent, according to state data.

The Employment Development Department reported that there were 565,418 people receiving regular unemployment insurance benefits during the February survey week, compared with 575,895 in January and 666,260 in February 2011.

At the same time, new claims for unemployment insurance were 55,287 in February 2012, compared with 59,344 in January and 68,203 in February of last year, the report showed.

Report shows slight increase in jobs for California

The federal survey of California households, done with a smaller sample than the survey of employers, showed an increase in the number of employed people.

It estimated the number of Californians holding jobs in February was 16,455,000, an increase of 12,000 from January, and up 293,000 from the employment total in February of last year, according to the Employment Development Department.

The number of people unemployed in California was 2,013,000 – down by 6,000 over the month – and down by 185,000 compared with February of last year, the state reported.

EDD’s report on payroll employment (wage and salary jobs) in the nonfarm industries of California totaled 14,184,500 in February, a net gain of 4,000 jobs since the January survey. This followed a gain of 1,500 jobs, as revised, in January.

Four categories – manufacturing; information; professional and business services; and educational and health services – added jobs over the month, gaining 24,400 jobs, the report said.

The category of information posted the largest increase over the month, adding 9,300 jobs. Six categories – mining and logging; construction; trade, transportation and utilities; financial activities; other services; and government – reported job declines over the month, down 20,400 jobs, the Employment Development Department said.

Government posted the largest decrease over the month, down 10,300 jobs. One category, leisure and hospitality, was unchanged over the month, data showed.

Eight categories – construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; and leisure and hospitality – posted job gains over the year, adding 184,200 jobs, according to the state’s statistic.

Professional and business services posted the largest gain on both a numerical and percentage basis, adding 67,700 jobs, up 3.2 percent.

Two categories, other services and government, posted job declines over the year, down 56,900 jobs, while the state said government posted the largest decline on both a numerical and percentage basis, down by 49,800 jobs, a decrease of 2.1 percent.

One category, mining and logging, was unchanged over the year, the report said.

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