- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
October jobless rate up slightly in Lake County; state back to pre-pandemic numbers for jobs
While unemployment ticked up, the Employment Development Department said the good news is that as of October, California has recovered all of the 2,758,900 jobs lost during the pandemic-induced recession.
In Lake County, October’s unemployment rate was 4.5%, up from 4.3% in September. The October 2021 rate was 6.2%.
Most job sectors were down in October, except for mining, logging and construction, which grew by 3.2%; state and local government, 1.3%; educational and health services, 0.4%; and service producing, 0.1%.
California added more than 56,000 jobs in October, and is now 30,800 jobs above the pre-pandemic total of February 2020.
In addition, California marked the 13th consecutive month of job growth in October and accounted for more than 20% of the nation’s new jobs, outpacing the nation in year-over job growth.
California’s jobless rate in October was 4%, up from 3.8% in September, which was a record-low rate for the state in a data set that dates back to 1976.
On the national level, unemployment in October was 3.7%, up from 3.5% in September but much improved from the 4.6% reported in October 2021.
The number of Californians employed in October was 18,502,900, a decrease of 40,500 persons from September’s total of 18,543,400, but up 642,100 from the employment total in October, the report said.
At the same time, the number of unemployed Californians was 776,600 in October, an increase of 35,400 over the month, but down 386,900 in comparison to October 2021.
The state said total nonfarm jobs in California’s 11 major industries totaled 17,722,700 in October — a net gain of 56,700 jobs from September. This followed a downward revised (-1,200) month-over gain of 5,300 jobs in September.
Total nonfarm jobs statewide increased by 695,500 (a 4.1% increase) from October 2021 to October 2022 compared to the U.S. annual gain of 5,303,000 jobs (a 3.6% increase), the report said. In Lake County, nonfarm jobs increased by 4.9%, or 760 jobs, during that same time.
Regarding total farm jobs, statewide the number of jobs in the agriculture industry decreased from September by 100 to a total of 410,700 jobs in October. The agricultural industry had 3,000 more farm jobs in October 2022 than it did in October a year ago. In Lake County, the total farm jobs category was up by 5.4% in a year-over comparison, with 240 jobs added.
Eight out of 11 job sectors added jobs. Education and health services had the largest gain, 16,800 jobs, showing the largest month-over gains thanks to above average gains in outpatient care services, nursing care facilities, and individual and family services. In Lake County, the education and health services sector was up by 0.4%, or 20 jobs.
Professional and business services added 16,400 jobs statewide, strong growth credited in part to above average gains in accounting and tax prep and bookkeeping services. That sector showed no growth in October in Lake County.
Other sectors that showed growth statewide and the Lake County comparisons are as follows:
• Leisure and hospitality: increase of 13,500 jobs statewide; Lake County lost 2.3%, or 30 jobs.
• Manufacturing: increase of 6,400 jobs; Lake County lost 2.7% or 10 jobs.
• Trade, transportation and utilities: increased by 4,600 jobs; Lake County lost 0.3%, or 10 jobs.
• Information: increased by 4,100 jobs; Lake County showed no change.
• Financial activities: increased by 3,600 jobs; Lake County lost 3%, or 10 jobs.
• Other services: increased by 100 jobs; Lake County lost 1.8%, or 10 jobs.
Lake County’s 4.3% jobless rate ranked it No. 42 statewide in October.
Lake’s neighboring counties had the following rates and ranks: Colusa, 7.2%, No. 56; Glenn, 4.6%, No. 44; Mendocino, No. 20, 3.3%; Napa, No. 8, 2.7%; Sonoma, No. 6, 2.6%; and Yolo, No. 20, 3.3%.
In related data that figures into the state’s unemployment rate, there were 289,716 people certifying for Unemployment Insurance benefits during the October 2022 sample week. The EDD said that compares to 294,085 people in September and 463,257 people in October 2021.
Concurrently, 38,186 initial claims were processed in the October 2022 sample week, which was a month-over increase of 3,685 claims from September and a year-over decrease of 21,693 claims from October 2021.
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.