North Bay job growth continues in June despite rise in jobless rates

[caption id="attachment_58096" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="North Bay job growth and industry employment, January 2006-June 2012. Source: California Employment Development Department. Analysis: North Bay Business Journal. Marin County is excluded because data from 2012 is not available. (click to enlarge)"][/caption]

Unemployment rates in June increased in Sonoma, Solano, Marin and Napa counties from May and remained the same in Mendocino and Lake Counties, but the number of jobs in the region continued to rise, both from the month before and the previous June, according to state figures released today.

Lake County's estimated June jobless rate was the only North Bay rate exceeding the state average of 10.7 percent, according to the California Employment Development Department. Jobless rates for Sonoma, Marin and Napa counties beat the June national average of 8.4 percent.Sonoma County

[caption id="attachment_58074" align="alignright" width="220" caption="Sonoma County job growth and industry employment (click to enlarge)"][/caption]

The Sonoma County unemployment rate was 8.7 percent in June, up from a revised 8.3 percent rate in May. Unemployment was 10.1 percent during the same period last year. Despite the uptick from May, the unemployment rate dropped sharply in April and May from 9.5 percent in March.

The county had 700 net new jobs in June compared with May, resulting in growth of 0.4 percent. The county had 5,000 more jobs in June from a year before, an increase of 2.8 percent. That's up from 1.0 percent annual growth in May and year-over-year job losses in eight of the previous 10 months. 

The biggest growth over the previous 12 months came in goods producing industries, up 4,600 jobs, or 3.2 percent. Leading in that category was manufacturing with 1,500 jobs, up 7.3 percent, split almost evenly between nondurable goods such as wine and food and durable goods. Next were service jobs, up 2,700 or 1.9 percent. Third place went to the hard-hammered construction industry, which had 800 net new jobs, up 9.5 percent from a year before.

There were 1,300 fewer government jobs in June than in May, largely due to the end of the school year.Solano County

[caption id="attachment_58081" align="alignleft" width="220" caption="Sonoma County job growth and industry employment (click to enlarge)"][/caption]

The unemployment rate in Solano County rose half a percentage point from May to 10.5 percent. That was well below the 11.8 percent rate a year before.

There have been 2,400 net jobs created in the county in the past 12 months, up 2.0 percent, and 100 net jobs created in June, growth of one-10th of a percentage point. Marin County

Still having the lowest unemployment rate in the state, Marin County had a jobless rate last month of 6.6 percent, up from 6.3 percent in May but below the 7.7 percent rate in June of last year.

Industry job data isn't available for the county in the first half of this year. Monthly and annual job growth were trending positive last year, ending 2011 up 1.6 percent to 103,800 jobs.Napa County

[caption id="attachment_58083" align="alignright" width="220" caption="Napa County job growth and industry employment (click to enlarge)"][/caption]

The 7.8 percent unemployment rate estimate for Napa County last month made it the third best in the state. The June rate was up slightly from May but down from 8.9 percent in a year before.

Job growth in June from May and a year before was the same -- 400 new jobs, up 0.6 percent. The strongest growth over 12 months was in services, up 600, or 1.2 percent. Goods producing jobs dipped 300, or 2.2 percent, led by 200 fewer, down 1.8 percent, in manufacturing, mainly of wine. Mendocino County

[caption id="attachment_58089" align="alignleft" width="220" caption="Mendocino County job growth and industry employment (click to enlarge)"][/caption]

The official June unemployment rate for Mendocino County was 9.7 percent, unchanged from May but a full percentage point lower than at the same time in 2011.

There were 540 jobs created over the month, up 1.9 percent, while 420 net jobs have been eliminated since June 2011, down 1.4 percent.Lake County

[caption id="attachment_58092" align="alignright" width="220" caption="Lake County job growth and industry employment (click to enlarge)"][/caption]

Lake County’s unemployment rate last month remained unchanged at 14.7 percent. That rate was down 2.1 percentage points from June 2011.

There were 260 net jobs created in the county in June, up 1.9 percent, and a net gain of 240 jobs for the past 12 months, up 1.8 percent.

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