- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Local, state and national unemployment numbers down in August
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The latest report on unemployment in California indicates joblessness continues to drop, with Lake County's numbers also showing improvement.
Lake County's unemployment rate in August was 11.6 percent, down from the revised July rate of 12.6 percent and a marked improvement over the 14 percent rate from August 2012, according to the California Employment Development Department.
California's August unemployment rate was 8.8 percent, compared to 8.7 percent in July and 10.4 percent in August 2012, the agency said.
Nationwide, unemployment was 7.3 percent in August, down slightly from 7.4 percent in July and 8.1 percent in August 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The Employment Development Department report said nonfarm jobs in California totaled 14,671,800 in August, an increase of 29,100 jobs over the month and 223,900 over the year, based on a survey of 42,000 California businesses.
A federal survey of households, done with a smaller sample than the survey of employers, showed a decrease in the number of employed people. It estimated the number of Californians holding jobs in August was 16,935,000, a decrease of 53,000 from July 2013, but up 381,000 from the employment total in August of last year, according to the report.
The report said the number of people unemployed in California was 1,646,000 – up by 23,000 over the
month, but down by 279,000 compared with August of last year.
Lake County's industry sectors showed a 32.2-percent growth in total farm jobs, followed by a 5.3-percent increase in mining, logging and construction and 5.2 percent in government.
In areas that showed decreases, manufacturing jobs dropped by 3.6 percent, and leisure and hospitality each showed 1.8-percent decreases, the report showed.
Lake County's August rate earned it a ranking of No. 47 out of the state's 58 counties.
Marin ranked No. 1 for lowest unemployment, with 5 percent, while Imperial ranked No. 58 for the state's highest unemployment rate – 26.3 percent.
Lake's neighboring counties ranked as follows in August, according to the Employment Development Department: Colusa and Glenn tied for No. 54 at 13 percent; Mendocino, 7.3 percent, No. 12; Napa, 5.8 percent, No. 4; Sonoma, 6.6 percent, No. 7; Yolo, 8.1 percent, No. 23.
The Employment Development Department said there were 465,922 people receiving regular
unemployment insurance benefits during the August survey week, compared with 510,998 last month and 501,158 last year.
New claims for unemployment insurance were 48,747 in August 2013, compared with 67,382 in July
and 51,467 in August of last year, the agency said.
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.