La Mesa’s unemployment rate continues to fall, according to state figures released Friday. The rate is more than 2 points below the statewide average.
The rate went from 8.3 percent in September 2011 to 7 percent last month. About 2,500 La Mesans were out of work in a labor force of 34,800.
In August, the city’s jobless rate was 7.5 percent.
The unemployment rate in San Diego County last month was 8.4 percent, down from a revised 9 percent the previous month and 9.9 percent in the year-ago period, the state Employment Development Department reported.
Statewide, the unemployment rate in September was 9.7 percent, and 7.6 percent for the nation as a whole. The numbers are not seasonally adjusted.
In San Diego County, 134,800 people were unemployed last month out of a total job force of nearly 1.6 million, down about 6.7 percent from August’s revised figures and 14.4 percent from the same period last year, according to the state agency.
The government sector reported the largest bump between August and September, led by local governments with a gain of 4,100 jobs, primarily from
seasonal educational positions. State governments added 2,300 jobs, while the federal government job level remained unchanged.
Here are some figures for other Patch towns
Area name Labor force Employment Jobless Jobless rate Aug 2012 Sept 2011 Carlsbad 48,700 46,000 2,700 5.6% 6.0% 6.6%Casa de Oro-Mount Helix
11,300 10,400 900 7.9% 8.5% 9.4% Coronado 8,900 8,400 500 5.4% 5.7% 6.4% Del Mar 3,100 2,900 100 4.4% 4.7% 5.2% Encinitas 39,700 37,300 2,400 6.0% 6.4% 7.1% Imperial Beach 14,300 12,300 1,900 13.6% 14.4% 15.8% La Mesa 34,800 32,300 2,500 7.0% 7.5% 8.3% Lemon Grove 14,100 12,600 1,500 10.6% 11.3% 12.4% Oceanside 87,700 80,600 7,000 8.0% 8.6% 9.5% Ramona 9,100 8,400 700 7.8% 8.3% 9.2% San Diego 713,400 653,200 60,200 8.4% 9.0% 9.9% Santee 33,600 31,200 2,400 7.1% 7.5% 8.4% Spring Valley 15,500 13,900 1,500 9.8% 10.4% 11.5%The professional and business services sector gained 1,600 positions between August and September. The agency reported that 2,000 jobs were gained in administrative and support and waste management services, partially offset by a loss of 400 jobs in the professional, scientific and technical services industry.
The leisure and hospitality industry reported a seasonal decline of 5,400 jobs, with jobs in accommodation and food services accounting for more than two-thirds of those losses. Arts, entertainment and recreation decreased by 1,700 jobs.
Agricultural employment gained 100 jobs, according to the agency.
Total nonfarm employment gained 200 jobs between August and September and 28,000 jobs between September 2011 and September 2012, according to the agency.
—City News Service contributed to this report.
