LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County's unemployment rate held steady in October, according to the state's latest report on jobless numbers.
The Employment Development Department said Lake County's unemployment rate was 8.8 percent in October, unchanged from the revised 8.8 reported in September. However, the October number is down from the 10.9 percent reported a year ago.
Lake County's September and October unemployment rate is the lowest since October 2007, according to Employment Development Department historical data.
In October, California's overall unemployment rate, 7.3 percent, also remained unchanged from September, but was down from the year-ago rate of 8.6 percent, the state reported.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics said US unemployment dropped in October to 5.8 percent, down from 5.9 percent in September and 7.2 percent in October 2013.
The US unemployment rate in October was the lowest since July 2008, according to the agency's data.
The Employment Development Department's latest report said that California's nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 41,500 during the month for a total gain of 1,446,600 jobs since the recovery began in February 2010.
Those findings are based on data from two separate surveys – a federal survey of 5,5,00 households, which determines the unemployment rate, and a survey of 58,000 California businesses that measures jobs in the economy.
Based on the survey of businesses, nonfarm jobs in California totaled 15,567,600 in October, an increase of 41,500 jobs over the month, with a year-over-year change – October 2013 to October 2014 – of 319,500 jobs, up 2.1 percent.
The report said that the federal survey of households showed an increase in the number of employed people, with Californians holding jobs in October estimated at 17,396,000, an increase of 89,000
from September 2014, and up 426,000 from the employment total in October of last year. That followed a loss of 14,200 jobs in September.
The number of people unemployed in California was 1,361,000, which the Employment Development Department said was down by 1,000 over the month, and down by 237,000 compared with October of last year.
Lake County's job picture
Lake County was ranked No. 44 statewide for its October unemployment rate.
That's compared to the following rates and rankings for Lake's neighboring counties, according to the Employment Development Department: Colusa, No. 56, 11 percent; Glenn, No. 38, 8 percent; Mendocino, No. 10, 5.7 percent; Napa, No. 4, 4.4 percent; Sonoma, No. 5, 5 percent; and Yolo, No. 23, 6.7 percent.
Marin retained its position of No. 1, with the state's lowest unemployment rate, 3.9 percent. At the other end of the spectrum was Imperial County, at No. 58, with a rate of 23.7 percent.
Lake County's civilian labor force in October totaled 26,750, up from 26,710 in September and 26,640 in October 2013, according to state data.
Approximately 2,360 people were unemployed in October and 2,350 in September, compared to 2,900 out of work in October of last year, the state reported.
In October, job categories showing growth in Lake County included information, 6.7 percent; government, 1.2 percent; educational and health service, 0.7 percent; retail trade, 0.5 percent; and service providing, 0.3 percent.
Declines were seen in total farm, -6.7 percent; goods producing, -4.5 percent; leisure and hospitality, -3 percent; and other services, -2.2 percent.
Statewide job categories showing growth, declines
The Employment Development Department said job gains in California in October came in eight industry categories – construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; information; professional and business services; educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; and government.
The report said 42,400 jobs were added in those eight categories, with professional and business services posting the largest increase over the month – adding 12,500 jobs.
Three categories showed declines totaling 900 jobs from September to October – mining and logging; financial activities; and other services. Financial activities and other services posted the largest decreases over the month, down 400 jobs each, according to the Employment Development Department.
Nonfarm payroll employment in California increased by 319,500 jobs, or 2.1 percent, from October 2013 to October 2014, the report showed.
Looking at a year-over-year comparison, the Employment Development Department said 10 categories posted job gains that resulted in the addition of 324,200 jobs.
Those categories were mining and logging; construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; information; professional and business services; educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; other services; and government, the agency said.
Professional and business services posted the largest gains on a numerical basis, adding 106,400 jobs, an increase of 4.5 percent, while construction posted the largest gains on a percentage basis, up 5.3 percent, or the addition of 34,300 jobs.
One category, financial activities, showed declines amounting to a loss of 4,700 jobs – or a 0.6-percent decrease – over the year, the report showed.
In other employment news, the Employment Development Department said there were 392,093 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the October 2014 survey week, compared with 392,823 last month and 405,761 last year.
New claims for Unemployment Insurance were 52,788 in October, compared with 52,279 in September and 72,737 in October of 2013, 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.