LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The employment pictured continued to improve in Lake County, across California and the nation in March.
The California Employment Development Department’s latest report on joblessness showed that Lake County’s unemployment rate in March was 6.5 percent, down from 6.6 percent in February and the 7.3 percent reported in March 2016.
California’s unemployment rate fell to 4.9 percent and the state’s employers added 19,300 nonfarm payroll jobs in March. The report stated that California’s unemployment rate was 5.0 percent in February and 5.6 percent in March 2016.
The U.S. unemployment rate decreased to 4.5 percent in March, down from 4.7 percent in February and 5.0 percent in March 2016, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Employers nationwide added 98,000 nonfarm payroll jobs.
Lake County had a workforce composed of 27,540 individuals in March, as compared to 27,710 in February and 27,110 the previous March, according to state records.
The number of unemployed individuals in Lake County numbered 1,910 in March, down from 1,970 in February and 2,200 in March 2016, records showed.
With the exception of durable goods, government and educational services, most industry sectors in Lake County showed declines in comparisons between March and February. However, in year-over comparisons, job growth in most sectors continues to go up, with goods producing leading with 10.7 percent, followed by total farm, 6.7 percent; and private service providing, 4.1 percent.
Within Lake County, the following unemployment rates were reported for the various communities, from least to greatest: Cobb, 1.4 percent; Nice, 3.3 percent; North Lakeport, 3.4 percent; Middletown, 3.5 percent; Hidden Valley Lake, 3.6 percent; city of Lakeport, 4.4 percent; Kelseyville, 4.5 percent; Upper Lake, 6.3 percent; Lucerne, 8 percent; city of Clearlake, 9.6 percent; Clearlake Oaks, 9.9 percent; and Lower Lake, 13.4 percent.
With March’s job gains, the state has gained a total of 2,507,400 jobs since the economic expansion began in February 2010, the Employment Development Department reported.
The report said nonfarm payroll jobs in California totaled 16,694,000 in March, a net gain of 19,300 jobs from February that followed a gain of 21,500 jobs in February.
Those numbers are determined by a survey of 58,000 California businesses that measures jobs in the economy. The year-over change, March 2016 to March 2017, showed an increase of 346,400 jobs, up 2.1 percent.
A federal survey of 5,500 California households that determines the unemployment rate showed an increase in the number of employed Californians over the month and the year. It estimated the number of Californians holding jobs in March was 18,227,000, an increase of 37,000 from February, and up 268,000 from the employment total in March of last year.
The number of unemployed Californians was 942,000 in March – down by 25,000 over the month, and down by 119,000 compared with March of last year, the state said.
The Employment Development Department said six of California’s 11 industry sectors added a total of 37,200 jobs in March.
Construction posted the largest jobs increase, with a gain of 18,900 jobs, followed by government, with a gain of 6,300 jobs. Other sectors that the state said added jobs over the month were manufacturing; educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; and other services.
Five industry sectors reported job declines over the month, down a total of 17,900 jobs. The report said that information posted the largest decrease over the month, down by 9,400 jobs, followed by trade, transportation and utilities, which fell by 4,200 jobs.
Other sectors losing jobs over the month were mining and logging; financial activities; and professional and business services, the report said.
In a year-over-year comparison – March 2016 to March 2017 – nonfarm payroll employment in California increased by 346,400 jobs, a 2.1-percent increase, the Employment Development Department said.
Nine of California’s 11 industry sectors added a total of 355,300 jobs year-over, the report showed. The largest job gains were in educational and health services, up 88,400 jobs, a 3.5-percent increase; leisure and hospitality, up 51,400 jobs, a 2.7-percent increase; and government, up 51,400 jobs, a 2.1-percent increase.
Other sectors adding jobs over the year were construction; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; and other services, according to the report.
The Employment Development Department said two industry sectors – mining and logging, and manufacturing – posted job declines over the year, down a total of 8,900 jobs. Manufacturing employment fell by 6,500 jobs, down 0.5 percent, while mining and logging was down by 2,400 jobs, a 9.4-percent decrease.
In the latest report, the Employment Development Department also noted that 420,505 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the March survey week, compared with 405,196 in February and 420,502 in March of last year.
New claims for Unemployment Insurance were 42,786 in March, compared with 43,499 in February and 44,305 in March of last year, the department reported.
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.
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