San Diego County’s unemployment rate improved again in September, dipping to a seasonally unadjusted 4.7 percent from 5 in August, amid overall improvement in services and government employment.
The area’s brightening jobs picture came as the state and nation also posted gains. California’s unadjusted jobless rate fell from a 5.6 percent to 5.3, and the national rate improved from 5 percent to 4.8.
Data reported by the California Employment Development Department pointed to strength in local educational and health services. As a sector, it improved by 2 percent by hiring 4,000 people month over month. A big part of that was the 2,900-job, 1.7-percent gain in health care and social assistance category.
Another bright spot, private services, added 1,300 jobs. Part of that, wholesale trade, was up 500 positions, or 1.1 percent. Another subset, transportation and warehousing, added 400 jobs to post a 1.7 percent gain.
But retail trade was down slightly, led by declines in building materials and gardening equipment (down 400 jobs, or 3.7 percent) and grocery stores (down 300 positions, or 1.1 percent).
Construction across San Diego County declined somewhat in September. The state said 800 building-related positions were cut since August, or 1.1 percent. Though building construction as a state job classification held flat at 15,900 jobs, related areas like heavy and civil engineering and building foundation and exterior contractors employed fewer people.
Employment in manufacturing also slid, losing 900 jobs overall, or eight-tenths of a percent. Aerospace and ship building were unchanged since August, but computer and electronic products nondurable good manufacturing both cut back modestly in September.
Financial activities shed 1,400 positions (1.9 percent) countywide, led by a 900-job loss in real estate, rentals and leasing. On the other hand, professional and business services were up 2,100 positions, with gains in management and administrative and support services.
Leisure and hospitality was also down overall after posting a 1.1 percent loss, or 2,200 jobs. The decline was likely a result of scaling back after the summer tourism season, as the category nevertheless posted a 3.8 percent improvement year over year.
Government employment was up strongly at 238,000, an improvement of 1.9 percent month over month and 2.7 percent year over year. Unsurprisingly, the largest monthly gain in that category was in local education, while rose 6.6 percent month over month as students returned to school.
