County jobless rate falls, among lowest in state

Sonoma County’s jobless rate dipped to 4.9 percent in February, as business picked up from New Year’s doldrums, labor analysts said Friday.

Unemployment was down from 5.2 percent in January — its highest rate in 3.5 years, according to the state Employment Development Department.

Still, last month’s figure is a half point higher than February, 2007, reflecting a loss of jobs in the housing sector over the past 12 months.

Sonoma County’s employment forecast remains “fair to cloudy,” said Ben Stone, who heads the county’s Economic Development Board.

“There’s some activity going on as people ramp up for spring,” he said. But the increase in employment was slight, Stone said.

The jobless rate typically rises in January as retailers cut staffing after the holidays, said Tiffany Furrell, a labor market analyst for the state.

Employment often picks up in February, she said.

Sonoma County’s unemployment rate was well below the statewide rate of 6.1 percent. The only counties with lower rates than Sonoma are Marin and San Mateo, both at 3.9 percent, Mono, 4.3 percent and Napa and San Luis Obispo, both at 4.7 percent.

Mendocino’s February jobless rate was 7 percent, compared to 6.5 percent a year ago, and Lake’s rate was 9.6 percent, compared to 9.4 percent a year ago.