Orange County’s unadjusted unemployment rate was 4.2% in August, unchanged from July and below the 4.3% reported for the same period last year, the state Employment Development Department said.
The job count fell 1,400 to 1.57 million.
The statewide unadjusted unemployment rate rose from 4.8% in July to 5.1%. It was 5.4% a year earlier. California lost 8,200 jobs, leaving it with 16.8 million.
OC professional and business services grew the most, 2,000 jobs, followed by construction at 1,100 jobs, and trade, transportation and utilities, up 500 jobs.
The OC government sector reported the biggest decline, 3,800, due to a seasonal decline in local public education as classrooms closed for the summer.
Statewide, six of 11 industry sectors added 22,200 jobs year-over-year. The biggest increases were in other services, 7,600 jobs, followed by manufacturing, 6,600 jobs. Leisure and hospitality jobs fell the most, down 12,400, followed by professional and business services, down 11,500.
Statewide, 340,670 people received unemployment benefits in August, down from 343,729 in July and 352,085 in August 2016.
The U.S. this month reported an increase to 4.4% unemployment in August from 4.3% in July.
