North Bay counties continue to see drop in jobless rates
Unemployment figures released today show rates in Sonoma and Solano counties remained unchanged, Marin was slightly down, and Napa, Mendocino and Lake experienced slight increases.
Napa's numbers, compared with other counties' in the North Bay, took another large hit in jobs in December. The county fell from fourth in October in statewide ranking of lowest unemployment rates, to 10th in November and 13th last month. However, the county was still up 1,900 jobs for the year, more than half in leisure and hospitality.
Sonoma County had a net gain of more than 2,000 jobs over the past 12 months, including 1,100 government positions and 1,000 in the professional and business services industry. It was the only North Bay county to lose jobs in the leisure and hospitality industry, by 800 jobs.
SONOMA COUNTY
The unemployment rate in the Sonoma County was 3.7 percent in December, unchanged from a revised 3.7 percent in November, and below the year-ago estimate of 4.2 percent.
By comparison, California's unadjusted unemployment rate last month was 5 percent, and the national figure, 4.5 percent.
The county ranked the sixth-lowest jobless rate in the state, preceded by Orange, Santa Clara, San Francisco, Marin, and San Mateo counties.
Nonfarm jobs in Sonoma County dropped 400, to 202,600 but were still for the year, at 1,900 or 0.9 percent. Farming employment for the month was up 200, to 4,700, and up 100 for the year.
Leading job-adding industries over the year were professional and business services up 1,000, or 4.6 percent, to 22,800; government, up 1,100, or 3.4 percent, to 33,300; and trade, transportation and utilities up 600, or 1.6 percent, to 37,900.
Job-losing sectors over the year were leisure and hospitality, down 800, to 24,700; and educational and health services down 500, to 32,400.
SOLANO COUNTY
The unemployment rate in the Solano County was 5.1 percent in December, unchanged from a revised 5.1 percent in November, and below the year-ago estimate of 5.6 percent.
Nonfarm job growth for the month was up 200 for the month, to 138,800, and for the year was up 2,800 positions, or 2.1 percent. Farming jobs were down 100 for the month, and down 100 for the year, with 1,500 jobs, or -6.3 percent.
Educational and health services gained 900 jobs over the past year, or 3.5 percent, to 26,700; manufacturing was up 4.2 percent, or 500 jobs, to 12,400; and leisure and hospitality rose 500 jobs, or 3.4 percent, to 15,000.
The only job-losing industries for the year were trade, transportation and utilities down 300, and farm.
MARIN COUNTY
The unemployment rate in Marin was 2.9 percent in December, down from a revised 3 percent in November 2016, and below the year-ago estimate of 3.2 percent.
Total nonfarm jobs for the year increased by 3,300, or 2.8 percent, to 119,400, and farm jobs again remained unchanged at 300.
Trade, transportation and utilities gained 1,500 jobs, or 7.7 percent, to 20,900; professional and business services rose 600, or 3.1 percent to 19,900 jobs; manufacturing was up 600, or 14.3 percent, to 4,800; and leisure and hospitality increased by 500, or 3.2 percent, to 15,900.
The only job-losing sectors for the year was government, down 400 to 15,800.
NAPA COUNTY
The unemployment rate in the Napa County was 4.4 percent in December, up from a revised 4.2 percent in November, and below the year-ago estimate of 5.1 percent.
Nonfarm jobs were down 1,600 for the month, at 73,300 and up 1,800, or 2.5 percent, for the year. Total farm jobs were down 600 for the month at 2,900, and up 100 for the year, at 3.6 percent.
Leisure and hospitality jobs increased by 1,000, or 7.6 percent, to 14,100; professional and business services rose by 300, to 7,200, or 4.3 percent; and trade, transportation and utilities increased 300, or 10,700, at 2.9 percent, manufacturing, which includes winemaking, rose by 100, or 0.8 percent, to 11,900.
The only job losing sectors were information, down 100, to 400; and educational and health services down 100, to 9,700.
MENDOCINO COUNTY
Mendocino County's preliminary December unemployment rate is 5.3 percent, up 0.2 percentage points from the November rate of 5.1 percent.
The year-over rate is down 0.8 percentage points from the December 2015 rate of 6.1 percent. With the rate rise in December, Mendocino County rose from 21 to 25 (from the top) among the 58 counties statewide.
Total Mendocino County industry employment contracted by 50 jobs from November to December. The county's employment grew by 340 jobs for the year-over, with seven industry sectors gaining, none remaining unchanged, and five contracting.
Total farm jobs were up 50 from November and down 40 over 12 months, to 1,160, at -3.3 percent. Total nonfarm jobs were down 100 from November and up 380 for the year to 31,030 an annual gain of 1.2 percent.
The largest gains in employment for the year was trade, transportation and utilities up 120 jobs, or 2 percent to 6,200; leisure and hospitality gained 110 jobs, or 2.6 percent, to 4,280; education and health services gained 90 jobs, or 1.6 percent, to 5,750 and manufacturing gained 70 jobs, at 2.8 percent, to 2,600.
Job-losing industries over the year were government down 50, to 7,230; and information, and professional and business services each down 20.
LAKE COUNTY
The unemployment rate in the Lake County was 6.8 percent in December, up from a revised 6.6 percent in November, and below the year-ago estimate of 7.8 percent.
Nonetheless, the county dropped 3 points to 36 in the state.
Total farm jobs were unchanged from November and up 150 over 12 months, to 750, at 25 percent. Total nonfarm jobs were down 90 from November, and up 560 for the year to 15,400 an annual gain of 3.8 percent.
One of the largest gains in employment for the year was service-providing, adding 460 jobs, to 14,590, at 3.3 percent. Also gaining for the year were education and health services, up 130, or 2.9 percent, to 4,630; and mining logging and construction up 120, or 30 percent, to 520 jobs.
Job-losing industries over the year were manufacturing and information, both down 10.
