Unemployment was down in California in January, and the overall rate of unemployment fell around 2 percent in most Bay Area counties from last year to this year, according to information released today by the state’s Employment Development Department.
Unemployment was down in California in January, and the overall rate of unemployment fell around 2 percent in most Bay Area counties from last year to this year, according to information released today by the state’s Employment Development Department.
California’s overall unemployment rate in January was 10.9 percent, down from 11.2 percent in December and 12.1 percent in January 2011.
In the last year, California has added 126,100 jobs.
The figures are adjusted to account for seasonal differences in labor markets, for example winter lulls in tourist markets.
California still lags behind overall unemployment in the United States, which decreased in January to 8.3 percent.
Since last year, several industries reported growth in jobs, including mining and logging, manufacturing, trade, transportation and utilities, professional and business services, educational and health services, and leisure and hospitality.
While every county in the Bay Area saw slight rises in unemployment from December to January, such increases are typical in the region at the beginning of a new year. However, overall unemployment was down throughout the Bay Area from January 2011 to this year.
San Francisco saw unemployment decline from 9.5 percent in January 2011 to 8.1 percent this year, while Alameda County saw it decline from 11 percent to 9.5 percent, and Contra Costa County went from 11.2 percent to 9.6 percent.
The lowest unemployment rate in the region is in Marin County, which was down to 6.6 percent this year from 8.3 percent in January 2011.
Scott Morris, Bay City News
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