California job growth continues five-year recovery

The number of workers without jobs in California decreased last month from the previous month and the number of nonfarm payroll jobs increased, according to new data from the California Employment Development Department.

Based on two separate surveys, the results reveal the state’s unemployment rate decreased to 5.8 percent in October from 5.9 percent in September, while nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 41,200, EDD officials said.

The number of nonfarm payroll jobs added in October makes for a total gain of 2,131,800 jobs since the recovery began in February 2010, according to EDD officials.

The number of nonfarm payroll jobs comes from a survey of 58,000 California businesses. The data from the survey shows that the number of nonfarm payroll jobs increased in the state by 465,000, or 2.9 percent, from October 2014 to October 2015, EDD officials said.

In the Bay Area, San Mateo County had the lowest number of unemployed workers at 3.2 percent in October. Marin County had the second lowest at 3.3 percent and San Francisco had the third lowest at 3.4 percent.

The Bay Area counties with the highest number of unemployed workers during October include Alameda County with a 4.5 percent unemployment rate, Contra Costa County at 4.7 percent and Solano County at 5.6 percent.

Unemployment figures are taken from a federal survey of 5,500 households throughout the state. The data from that survey reveals that the state’s unemployment rate has dropped significantly when compared to October 2014, when the rate was 7.2 percent, according to the EDD.

Last month, there were about 1,095,000 workers without jobs in California, down by 26,000 from the previous month, and down by 271,000 when compared with October 2014.

The national unemployment rate also decreased in October from the previous month, to 5 percent, EDD officials said.