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KPBS Midday Edition

San Diego County's Unemployment Rate Lowest In 8 Years

A client walks out of San Diego County's unemployment office in this undated photo.
KPBS Staff
A client walks out of San Diego County's unemployment office in this undated photo.

San Diego County's unemployment rate last month was 4.8 percent, the lowest mark in nearly eight years, the state Employment Development Department announced Friday.

The local unemployment rate hasn't been this low since it held steady at 4.8 percent between August and December 2007, according to EDD data.

The agency said the rate was 5.1 percent in March and 6.1 percent in April last year.

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San Diego's figure compares to the statewide rate of 6.1 percent, and the national rate of 5.1 percent, which are not seasonally adjusted.

According to the EDD, San Diego added jobs in financial services, and leisure and hospitality over the past month. Construction lost 700 positions.

Over the past year, the professional, technical and scientific services sector added 8,200 jobs, food services and drinking establishments added 6,300 positions, and administrative and support services added 3,200.

Out of a civilian labor force of almost 1.55 million people in April, 74,300 San Diegans were unemployed, a decline of 18,900, the EDD said.