Bay Area jobless rates linger near lowest levels

San Mateo County had the lowest and Solano County the highest unemployment rates in the Bay Area last month, according to California’s Employment Development Department.

The unemployment rate in San Mateo County was 3 percent, while the unemployment rate in Solano County was 5.6 percent in February. Solano County’s unemployment rate was last in the mid-five percent range in late 2007.

Marin County recorded the second lowest rate among Bay Area counties at 3.2 percent, followed by San Francisco County at 3.3 percent, its lowest level since late 2000, employment officials said.

The unemployment rate in Santa Clara County was also below 4 percent, at 3.8 percent.

Alameda, Contra Costa, Sonoma and Napa counties all had rates between 4.1 percent and 4.5 percent, according to employment officials.