LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – According to the latest state report on unemployment, Lake County’s May jobless rate was at a near three-decade low.
The Employment Development Department’s report showed that Lake County’s May unemployment rates was 4.9 percent, down from a revised 5.6 percent in April 2017, and below the year-ago estimate of 5.9 percent.
The jobless rates reported for both April and May are the second lowest and lowest, respectively, since 1990, according to the Employment Development Department’s online data library.
California’s jobless rate for May was 4.7 percent, down from 4.8 percent in April. In May 2016, the statewide unemployment rate was 5.5 percent.
The statewide May jobless rate tied the record low that occurred in November-December 2000, according to the California Employment Development Department.
The state’s unemployment rate is derived from a federal survey of 5,500 California households.
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the nationwide unemployment rate in May was 4.3 percent, down from 4.4 percent in April and 4.7 percent in May 2016. Employers nationwide added 138,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in May.
The late spring and summer months tend to be see drops in unemployment thanks to the farming season, and the same has been true so far this year.
During May, Lake County’s farming industry, reported under the “total farm” category, showed the biggest growth in jobs, with a 35.9-percent increase. It’s also up 7.7 percent on a year-over-year basis.
In the “total nonfarm” category, local job numbers grew by 1.6 percent in May, and by 3.9 percent over the previous year.
Other industry subcategories showing growth over the month included goods producing, 4.2 percent; private service providing, 1.6 percent; and service providing, 1.4 percent.
Lake County’s unemployment rate in May earned it a ranking of No. 30 out of the 58 counties. The lowest unemployment statewide was reported in San Mateo County, 2.4 percent, while Imperial County had the highest jobless rate statewide, 20.5 percent.
The state’s nonfarm payroll employment grew by 17,600 jobs in May, and California has now gained a total of 2,510,900 jobs since the economic expansion began in February 2010, based on the report.
Nonfarm payroll jobs in California totaled 16,697,500 in May, a net gain of 17,600 jobs from April, according to a survey of 71,000 California businesses that measures jobs in the economy. The year-over change, May 2016 to May 2017, shows an increase of 242,600 jobs, up 1.5 percent.
The federal household employment survey, done with a smaller sample than the survey of employers, showed an increase in the number of employed Californians over the month and the year.
It estimated the number of Californians holding jobs in May was 18,258,000, an increase of 3,000 from April, and up 250,000 from the employment total in May of last year.
The number of unemployed Californians was 898,000 in May – down by 26,000 over the month, and down by 152,000 compared with May of last year, the report said.
The report showed that eight of California’s 11 industry sectors added a total of 29,400 jobs in May.
Government posted the largest jobs increase with a gain of 12,300 jobs, followed by information with a gain of 9,600 jobs. Other sectors adding jobs over the month were trade, transportation and utilities; other services; financial activities; educational and health services; construction; and manufacturing, the report said.
Three industry sectors reported job declines over the month, down a total of 11,800 jobs. The report said that leisure and hospitality posted the largest decrease over the month, down 9,700 jobs, followed by professional and business services, down 1,700 jobs, and mining and logging, down 400 jobs.
In a year-over-year comparison – May 2016 to May 2017 – nonfarm payroll employment in California increased by 242,600 jobs, a 1.5-percent increase.
Nine of California’s 11 industry sectors added a total of 253,200 jobs year-over.
The largest job gains were in educational and health services, up 64,600 jobs, a 2.5-percent increase; government, up 46,900 jobs or 1.9 percent; and leisure and hospitality, up 44,000 jobs or 2.3 percent .
Other sectors that the report showed added jobs over the year were construction; other services; trade, transportation and utilities; professional and business services; financial activities; and information.
Two industry sectors posted job declines over the year for a total loss of 10,600 jobs: manufacturing fell by 8,900 jobs, or 0.7 percent, and mining and logging was down by 1,700 jobs, a 6.9 percent decrease.
In related data, the Employment Development Department reported that there were 354,371 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the May survey week, compared to 388,142 in April and 362,535 in May of last year.
At the same time, new claims for Unemployment Insurance were 38,252 in May, compared with 45,319 in April and 40,779 in May of last year, according to the report.
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.
Lake County employment rate shows significant improvement in May
- Elizabeth Larson
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