L.A. County Unemployment Rate Down to 5 Percent

LOS ANGELES, CA -- The unemployment rate in Los Angeles County was 5 percent in December, down from a revised 5.1 percent in November and down from the 6 percent rate of one year ago, according to seasonally adjusted numbers released by the state Employment Development Department Friday.

In Orange County, the unemployment rate was 3.5 percent, down from 3.7 percent in November. Orange County does not provide seasonally adjusted numbers.

The overall unemployment rate for California was 5.2 percent in December, down from the seasonally adjusted 5.3 percent in November, and from the 5.9 percent statewide rate in December 2015.

The labor force in Los Angeles County consisted of 5,071,000 people in November, with 4,831,200 people employed.

The trade, transportation and utilities sectors had the largest monthly growth, adding a total of 8,400 jobs in the county. The government sector was second, adding about 2,000 jobs.

The national unemployment rate rose by one-tenth of one percent in December to 4.7 percent, according to the EDD.

-- City News Service, photo via Shutterstock