Temecula's Unemployment Rate Drops To 6.2 Percent

The jobless rate in Temecula edged down again last month, state officials reported Friday.

Temecula’s non-seasonally-adjusted jobless rate in May, based on preliminary estimates, was 6.2 percent, compared to 6.5 percent in April, according to the California Employment Development Department.

The city was in line with the county’s figures, which also showed an improved picture.

The EDD reported the county's non-seasonally-adjusted jobless rate in May, based on preliminary estimates, was 9.2 percent, compared to 9.6 percent in April.

The rate was 2.6 percentage points below the level of May 2012, when unemployment stood at 11.8 percent.

The county’s civilian labor force last month numbered 933,900 people, with 85,500 out of work, according to EDD data.

The unincorporated community of Cabazon had the highest unemployment rate countywide, at 23.6 percent, followed by Mecca at 18.7 percent and Homeland at 18.3 percent, according to the EDD.

The combined unemployment rate for Riverside and San Bernardino counties in May was also 9.2 percent, down from 9.6 percent the prior month.

Bi-county data indicated payrolls expanded in five sectors of the regional economy. The largest increase was in trade, transportation and utilities, where around 1,000 positions were added. The public sector, farming, financial services and manufacturing altogether grew by another 2,500 jobs.

Payrolls dropped sharply in the professional and business services sector, which shed 2,100 jobs, data showed. Losses were also recorded in leisure and hospitality, educational and health services, the construction industry and the telecommunications sector, all of which shrank by roughly 1,400 jobs.

The state's non-seasonally-adjusted jobless rate in May was 8.1 percent, according to the EDD. --City News Service contributed to this report.