San Diego County's unadjusted unemployment rate fell to 3.4% in August from an adjusted 3.6% in July, according to data released Friday by the California Economic Development Department.
The San Diego-Carlsbad region's nonfarm employment increased by 5,200 jobs from 1,507,500 in July to 1,512,700 last month, mostly driven by gains in the construction and education and health services industries. Farm jobs ticked up by 100 from 9,000 in July to 9,100 last month.
The construction industry added 2,900 jobs month-over-month while the educational and health services industry added 2,600 jobs. Government jobs also increased by 1,200, manufacturing jobs increased by 400 and trade, transportation and utilities jobs increased by 600.
Gains in the latter three industries offset losses totaling 2,500 jobs across the financial activities, professional and business services, leisure and hospitality and other services industries. According to the EDD, other services include repair and maintenance jobs, personal and laundry services jobs and religious, grants, civic and professional organizations.
Industries around the county added 26,600 jobs from August of last year to last month, according to EDD data. However, the year-over-year unemployment rate fell only slightly from 3.5% in August 2018.
Nonfarm employment increased by 27,400 year-over-year, driven by gains in nearly every industry around the county. Farm jobs contracted by 800, from 9,900 in August of last year to 9,100 last month.
Government jobs increased by 8,400, the highest year-over-year increase of any industry and mostly driven by jobs added for state and local education. The professional and business services, educational and health services, construction and manufacturing industries all added at least 4,000 jobs from August 2018 to 2019.
Only three industries recorded losses from August 2018 to last month, the largest being 2,900 jobs lost in the trade, transportation and utilities industry. Financial activities and information jobs also declined by 1,100 and 200, respectively.
Statewide unemployment held steady at a seasonally adjusted 4.1% in August.
Nationwide, unemployment fell to an unadjusted 3.8% in August, down from 4 % in July and 3.9% in August 2018.
