STOCKTON — Despite strong statewide employment numbers, the unemployment rate is up across the Central Valley. The San Joaquin County unemployment rate climbed to 8.1 percent from last month’s 7.4 percent. Rates in Stanislaus and Merced each rose 1 percent from September to 8.5 and 9.1 percent respectively.
The rates rose despite the fact that San Joaquin, Merced and Stanislaus counties each added jobs. Stanislaus County added 6,400 total jobs while San Joaquin and Merced added 4,800 and 700 jobs respectively.
California’s overall unemployment rate stood at 5.7 percent and employers added 41,200 jobs to their payrolls. Statewide, unemployment is at its lowest level since October 2007.
That is still higher than the national rate which has dipped to 4.8 percent in October. Nationally, employers added 271,000 jobs in October, the most this year.
Unemployment rates fell in 32 states and rose in only three states. North Dakota had the lowest unemployment rate at 2.8 percent. West Virginia had the highest unemployment rate at 6.9 percent.
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