Fewer without jobs in California, San Joaquin Valley

California’s jobless rate dropped to 6.2 percent in July, down from 6.3 percent in June and is at its lowest level since February 2008.

A year ago, California’s jobless rate was 7.4 percent. But the unemployment rate remains higher than the national average. U.S. unemployment remained at 5.3 percent in June and July, the lowest it’s been since April 2008.

Unemployment in the San Joaquin Valley also declined over the past year and remains higher than the state average:

▪  The July rate was 9.4 percent in Stanislaus County, up from 9.3 percent in June but down from 11.1 percent from a year ago. The Stanislaus Business Alliance says this is the first time the county’s July unemployment rate has been below double digits since July 2007 when the rate was 8.8 percent.

▪  The July rate was 10.8 percent in Merced County, up from 10.4 percent in June but down from 12.4 percent from a year ago

▪  The July rate was 8.9 percent in San Joaquin County, up from 8.5 percent in June but down from 10.6 percent from a year ago

The numbers were released Friday by the state Employment Development Department and are based on federal and state surveys of employers and households, but don’t take into account people who have stopped looking for work.

The EDD reported that the state added 80,600 nonfarm payroll jobs in July. Professional and business services continue to lead growth, adding the most jobs last month. The number of nonfarm payroll jobs has increased 3.2 percent — or 494,200 jobs — in the past year.

The EDD reported that the occupations with the most help wanted ads in July for Stanislaus County were tractor-trailer driver (701 ads), registered nurse (518 ads), retail salesperson (173 ads), customer service representative (143 ads), retail worker supervisor (132), physical therapist (125), graphic designer (120), maintenance and repair worker (117), receptionist and information clerk (112), and office and administrative support worker supervisor (111).

This story was originally published August 21, 2015 at 4:04 PM with the headline "Fewer without jobs in California, San Joaquin Valley."