Murrieta's Unemployment Rate Falls Below County Average: EDD

Cyclical losses in several sectors of the regional economy pushed Riverside County's unemployment rate above 7 percent last month, state officials recently reported.

The jobless rate in July, based on preliminary estimates, was 7.1 percent -- up from 6.7 percent in June, according to the California Employment Development Department. The countywide civilian labor force numbered 1,049,800, with roughly 75,000 people out of work in July.

The unemployment rate in Murrieta was far lower than the county average, at 5.7 percent, according to the EDD. The agency reported 3,000 people of the city's 52,600-member workforce were out of work last month. Neighboring Temecula's unemployment rate was even lower, at 5.1 percent.

The July rate was three-tenths of a percentage point lower than a year ago, when unemployment stood at 7.4 percent.

Here is a breakdown of the unemployment rates in Riverside County, as reported by the EDD:

• Riverside County 7.1%
• Banning city 6.3%
• Beaumont city 4.2%
• Bermuda Dunes CDP 7.3%
• Blythe city 7.9%
• Cabazon CDP 14.3%
• Calimesa city 4.7%
• Canyon Lake city 5.4%
• Cathedral City city 5.8%
• Cherry Valley CDP 6.7%
• Coachella city 11.0%
• Corona city 5.6%
• Desert Hot Springs city 8.5%
• East Hemet CDP 8.4%
• Eastvale City city 4.8%
• El Cerrito CDP 8.5%
• Hemet city 9.9%
• Highgrove CDP 7.0%
• Home Gardens CDP 6.1%
• Homeland CDP 11.6%
• Idyllwild Pine Cove CDP 5.4%
• Indian Wells city 5.2%
• Indio city 7.7%
• Jurupa Valley city 9.3%
• La Quinta city 4.5%
• Lake Elsinore city 7.6%
• Lakeland Village CDP 10.8%
• Lakeview CDP 11.9%
• March AFB CDP 14.2%
• Mecca CDP 18.3%
• Menifee city 8.3%
• Moreno Valley city 7.6%
• Murrieta city 5.7%
• Norco city 5.7%
• Nuevo CDP 6.2%
• Palm Desert city 5.1%
• Palm Springs city 5.8%
• Perris city 10.4%
• Rancho Mirage city 6.0%
• Riverside city 6.8%
• Romoland CDP 9.6%
• San Jacinto city 10.6%
• Temecula city 5.1%
• Thousand Palms CDP 5.8%
• Valle Vista CDP 7.1%
• Wildomar CDP 7.2%
• Winchester CDP 5.7%
• Woodcrest CDP 7.0%

The unincorporated community of Mecca had the highest unemployment rate countywide at 18.3 percent, followed by Cabazon at 14.3 percent and the March Air Reserve Base census-designated community at 14.2 percent.

The combined unemployment rate for Riverside and San Bernardino counties in July was 6.9 percent, up from 6.6 percent the prior month.

Bi-county data indicated payrolls declined by the widest margin in the public education sector, which shed 16,800 positions, as teachers, administrators and support staff were listed as unemployed during summer break.

The agricultural sector of the economy shrank by 4,100 jobs, while the leisure and hospitality industry, private educational services sector, professional services sector, manufacturing and miscellaneous unclassified industries collectively lost 3,300 jobs in July.

The only gainers were the retail and financial services sectors, which together increased payrolls by 1,900.

The state's non-seasonally-adjusted jobless rate in July was 5.9 percent, according to the EDD.

– City News Service contributed to this report. Image via Shutterstock.