LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County’s unemployment rate improved in August, while the state and national rates held steady.
The California Employment Development Department’s latest report on joblessness said Lake County’s August rate was 4.7 percent, down from 5 percent in July and 5.4 percent in August 2017.
Lake County’s August rate is the second-lowest of the year – the May rate was 4.5 percent – and one of the lowest rates in nearly 30 years, based on historical data.
California’s overall rate remained at 4.2 percent, a record low that remains in place for a fifth consecutive months, while adding 44,800 jobs, following the addition of 34,400 jobs in July, according to the Employment Development Department report. In August 2017, the state’s unemployment rate was 4.6 percent.
At the federal level, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said the nationwide unemployment rate in August remained at 3.9 percent for the second consecutive month. At the same time, the nation’s employers added 201,000 nonfarm payroll jobs.
The August jobless picture for Lake County was helped by the annual agricultural harvest, especially pears.
In fact, the total farm category was up by 31.6 percent in August. Other categories showing growing included government, 10.9 percent; goods producing, 6.2 percent; and service providing, 2.4 percent. Declines occurred in subcategories including leisure and hospitality, -3.1 percent; financial activities, -2.6 percent; other services, -1.7 percent; and private service providing, -0.7 percent.
Lake County’s 4.7-percent rate earned it a ranking of No. 33 statewide. Neighboring county jobless rates and rankings in August were Colusa, 8.2 percent, No. 56; Glenn, 6.2 percent, No. 50; Mendocino, 3.6 percent, No. 17; Napa, 2.8 percent, No. 6; Sonoma, 2.7 percent, No. 5; and Yolo, 3.9 percent, No. 49.
The lowest unemployment rate in the state was once again in San Mateo County, which had a 2.3-percent rate, while Imperial County, with 20.3 percent, was ranked last of all of California’s 58 counties.
A look at the statewide picture
The report showed that California has now gained a total of 3,002,300 jobs since the economic expansion began in February 2010.
The unemployment rate is derived from a federal survey of 5,100 California households.
The report said nonfarm payroll jobs in California totaled 17,191,900 in August, according to a survey of businesses that is larger and less variable statistically. The survey of 71,000 California businesses measures jobs in the economy. The year-over change, August 2017 to August 2018, shows an increase of 348,900 jobs (up 2.1 percent).
The federal household survey, done with a smaller sample than the survey of employers, showed an increase in the number of employed Californians over the month. It estimated the number of Californians holding jobs in August was 18,548,000, an increase of 7,000 from July, and up 85,000 from the employment total in August of last year.
The state said number of unemployed Californians was 803,000 in August – a decrease of
5,000 over the month, and down by 92,000 compared with August of last year.
The report said eight of California’s 11 industry sectors added a total of 45,700 jobs in August. Educational and health services reported the largest increase with a gain of 18,700 jobs, followed by professional and business services (up 7,700) and government (up 6,100).
Other industries with job gains were construction (5,200), trade, transportation and utilities (4,700), financial activities (1,800), leisure and hospitality (1,200) and information (300). Other services reported no change over the month, the report said.
On the other side, two of California industries reported job losses over the month. Manufacturing reported the largest decrease with a loss of 800 jobs and mining and logging had a decline of 100 jobs.
In a year-over-year comparison – from August 2017 to August 2018 – the Employment Development Department said nonfarm payroll employment in California increased by 348,900 jobs, a 2.1-percent increase.
The Employment Development Department report said nine of California’s 11 industry sectors added a total of 350,500 jobs over the year. The largest job gains were in educational and health services, up 85,700 jobs (a 3.2 percent increase), professional and business services, up 66,700 (a 2.6 percent increase) and leisure and hospitality, up 56,500 (a 2.9 percent increase).
Other sectors adding jobs over the year were construction, trade, transportation and utilities, government, information, financial activities and manufacturing, the report showed.
The report said two industry sectors posted job declines over the year, other services reported
the largest decrease with a 1,100 job loss and mining and logging, down 500 jobs.
The Employment Development Department also reported that there were 306,175 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the August survey week, compared with 323,594 in July and 340,670 in August of last year.
New claims for Unemployment Insurance totaled 35,925 in August, compared with 39,856 in July and 38,074 in August of last year. Seasonally adjusted payroll detail follows:
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Lake County unemployment rate shows improvement in August
- Elizabeth Larson
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