- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Lake County’s unemployment rate up in October
The latest report from the Employment Development Department showed that Lake County’s October unemployment rate was 4.7 percent, up from a revised 4.4 percent in September but still lower than the year-ago estimate of 5.1 percent.
Across California as a whole, unemployment held at 4.1 percent in October – a record low in a series dating back to 1976, the Employment Development Department reported. California’s October 2017 jobless rate was 4.5 percent.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics said the nationwide unemployment rate for October was 3.7 percent, the same as September. The October 2017 national unemployment rate was 4.1 percent.
The state’s report said that California has gained more than three million jobs since the economic expansion began in February 2010.
In October, the state’s total number of nonfarm payroll jobs totaled 17,236,000, according to a survey of 71,000 California businesses. That’s up 308,700 jobs, or a 1.8-percent increase, from the previous October, the Employment Development Department reported.
A federal survey of 5,100 California households showed an increase in the number of employed Californians over the month and the year, estimating state residents holding jobs in October was 18,637,000, an increase of 55,000 from September and up 111,000 from the October 2017 employment total.
The report also showed that the number of unemployed Californians in October was 804,000, an increase of 1,000 over the month but down by 63,000 compared with October 2017.
In October, Lake County ranked No. 37 statewide for its jobless rate.
The preliminary estimate for October put the number of unemployed individuals at 1,410, compared to 1,330 in September and 1,500 in October 2017.
At the same time, the civilian workforce in Lake County included 30,070 individuals, compared with 30,360 in September and 29,680 the previous October, based on the report.
Industries that showed shifts in job numbers in October included total farm, which was down 27.2 percent from September but up 22.1 percent over last year.
Total nonfarm categories showed a drop of 0.5 percent, with the only subcategory showing growth being educational and health services, at 0.2 percent.
Neighboring county jobless rates and rankings in October are as follows: Colusa, 8.1 percent, No. 56; Glenn, 5 percent, No. 41; Mendocino, 3.5 percent, No. 18; Napa, 2.6 percent, No. 6; Sonoma, 2.5 percent, No. 4; and Yolo, 3.6 percent, No. 19, the report said.
Last month, San Mateo continued to hold onto the No. 1 ranking with the lowest jobless rate statewide, 2.1 percent, while Imperial County once came ranked No. 58, with a 19.2 percent rate.
During the October survey week, the Employment Development Department said there were 272,542 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits, compared with 284,790 in September and 299,272 in October of last year.
New claims for Unemployment Insurance in October totaled 40,032, compared with 34,519 in September and 42,114 in October of 2017, the Employment Development 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.