San Diego’s unemployment rate dipped to 2.6 percent in February from the 3 percent reported in January, according to the state’s Employment Development Department.
The rate nearly equals the 3.1 percent for last February. Yet over the past year, the region added 34,900 jobs, bringing the total nonfarm employment to 1,161,700.
The most recent large job gains were in government, where 2,500 staffers, mostly in public education, returned to work after the winter break.
The services industry showed a net gain of 900 jobs. Other industries posting growth over the month were manufacturing, up 400 jobs; finance, real estate and insurance, up 300 jobs; and wholesale trade, up 100 jobs.
Seasonal declines were found in retail trade, down 1,300 jobs, and in construction, down 800 jobs.
During the past year, the biggest job gains came in the services division, which showed a net addition of 13,100 jobs. Other large contributors to the region’s employment were in retail trade, up 6,500 jobs; government, up 4,900 jobs; and construction, up 4,600 jobs.
The unemployment rate for California for the past month was 5 percent, and for the nation, 4.4 percent.
