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Los Angeles County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 5.2% in October, up slightly from a revised 5.1% in September, according to figures released Friday by the state Employment Development Department.
The 5.2% rate was above the 4.7% rate from October 2022.
In Orange County, where seasonally adjusted numbers were not available, the October unemployment rate was 3.7%, the same as the previous month.
Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.8% in October, 4.7% in September and 4.1% in October 2022. The comparable figures for the nation were 3.9% in October, 3.8% in September and 3.7% a year ago.
Total nonfarm employment in Los Angeles County increased by 51,900 positions between September and October to reach nearly 4.7 million. The private education and health services sectors led the way, adding a total of 15,500 jobs, according to the EDD.
Riverside area
Despite gains in the regional economy, Riverside County’s unemployment rate ticked up last month, according to EDD figures.
The countywide jobless rate in October, based on preliminary EDD estimates, was 5.2%, compared to 5.1% in September.
According to figures, the October rate was roughly a percentage point above the year-ago level, when countywide unemployment stood at 4.1%.
An estimated 60,300 county residents were recorded as out of work last month, and 1,100,700 were employed, according to the EDD.
Mecca had the highest unemployment rate countywide in September at 12.6%, followed by Coachella at 11%, Cherry Valley at 9.3%, Rancho Mirage at 7.4% and Desert Hot Springs at 7.2%.
The combined unemployment rate for Riverside and San Bernardino counties — the Inland Empire — last month was 5.1%, up from 4.9% in September, the EDD said.
Bi-county data indicated that payrolls only declined in miscellaneous unclassified industries, which shed about 200 jobs.
The information technology and mining sectors were unchanged, while the public sector swelled by 8,000 positions regionally, mainly as a result of educational institutions going back to regular schedules following summer recess.
That represented the largest single-sector increase.
Payrolls also grew in the agricultural, transportation, hospitality, health services, professional business services, financial services, construction and manufacturing sectors, which altogether added an estimated 19,000 jobs, according to figures.
The documented month-to-month rise in Riverside County’s unemployment rate was apparently due to year-over-year statistical adjustments and related factors.
Data indicated the statewide non-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate last month was 4.8%.
San Diego County
The unemployment rate in San Diego County increased to 4.2% in October, up from a revised 4.1% in September 2023, and above the year-ago estimate of 3.3%, according to the EDD.
Last month’s rates compare with an unadjusted unemployment rate of 4.8% for California and 3.6% for the nation during the same period.
Between September and October, total nonfarm employment in San Diego County increased by 15,500 jobs to reach 1,582,700.
Seasonal increases drove up government employment by 6,200 for the largest month-over advance. Most of the gain for October was concentrated in state — up 3,800 — and local government — up 2,300 — as staffing levels in public educational institutions increased, the EDD data showed.
Additionally, retail gained 2,300 jobs month-over, accounting for around two-thirds of the 3,400 job increase in trade, transportation, and utilities. Private education and health added 3,100 jobs.
Those industries which lost jobs in the month-over-month data include construction, down 1,000; manufacturing, down 500; and other services were down 400.
Between October 2022 and October 2023, nonfarm employment in San Diego County increased by 26,500 or 1.7%.
As has been par for the course over the past several years, leisure and hospitality represented the largest year-over growth, increasing by 11,100 jobs. That growth was divided between accommodation and food services, up 6,900; and arts, entertainment and recreation, up 4,200. Arts, entertainment and recreation saw a 14% year-over increase.
Private education and health services reported an addition of 10,100 jobs with the entirety attributed to a 10,400 gain in health care and social assistance, with 300 jobs lost in private educational service.
Leading the year-over decline was professional and business services, down 3,800. Most of the job reductions were in administrative and support and waste management and remediation services.
Other industries that reported job declines include manufacturing, with a loss of 1,800, and information with a loss of 600.
