LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County’s unemployment saw a decrease in September, at the same time as the state jobless rate remained flat and the national rate improved.

The Employment Development Department, or EDD, said Lake County had a 5.5% unemployment rate in September, down from 6.1% in August. The county’s September 2023 rate was 5.2%.

In California as a whole, unemployment remained at 5.3% in September, the EDD said. The state’s September 2023 rate was 4.9%.

Nationally, the jobless rate in September was 4.1%, compared to 4.2% in August and 3.8% in September 2023, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In Lake County in September, there were 1,600 unemployed people, down from 1,760 in August, according to the EDD data.

The EDD said the number of Californians employed in September was 18,364,700, an increase of 2,100 persons from August’s total of 18,362,600 and up 6,300 from the employment total in September 2023.

At the same time, the number of unemployed Californians was 1,031,800 in September, an increase of 11,400 over the month and up 64,100 in comparison to September 2023.

Since May 2020, California has gained 3,164,200 jobs, which averages 59,702 jobs per month. The state’s job market expansion entered 53 months in September 2024, the EDD said.

In September, seven of California's 11 industry sectors gained jobs. The EDD said the largest increase in private education and health services, up 9,600 jobs, led by gains in health care and social assistance.

The government category added 3,800 jobs, showing above average strength in state governmental educational services as the new school year kicked off.

While leisure and hospitality posted the largest month-over reduction, down 4,400, with the most losses — 3,700 — in arts, entertainment and recreation, it retained a strong year-over gain of 22,700 jobs.

Lake County ranked No. 37 for its September rate, the EDD reported.

Lake’s neighboring county jobless rates and ranks were: Colusa, 8.2%, No. 56; Glenn, 5.8%, No. 41; Mendocino, 4.7%, No. 19; Napa, 3.9%, No. 6; Sonoma, 4%, No. 7; and Yolo, 4.9%, No. 24.

In related data that the EDD said figures into the state’s unemployment rate, there were 359,420 people certifying for Unemployment Insurance benefits during the September 2024 sample week. That compares to 382,640 people in August and 368,452 people in September 2023.

Concurrently, the EDD said 38,084 initial claims were processed in the September 2024 sample week, which was a month-over decrease of 939 claims from August as well as a year-over increase of 221 claims from September 2023.

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.