San Diego County’s unadjusted unemployment rate held steady at 3.2 percent in December, with farm and nonfarm industries losing a total of 1,500 jobs, the California Employment Development Department announced Friday.

The county’s unemployment rate plateaued at the end of 2018 after a steady decline from June to September, according to the EDD.

The 3.2 percent mark is below the December 2017 rate of 3.3 percent and the lowest the county has seen since it dipped below 3 percent in May 2018.

Total nonfarm employment lost 900 jobs from November to December and now sits at 1,502,400. Farm employment lost 600 jobs and now stands at 7,900 to close out 2018.

The county’s professional and business services industry lost the most jobs, 3,200, in December. Construction, mining and logging jobs also decreased by 1,300 month-over-month. The trade, transportation and utilities industry added the most jobs, 3,300, in the county from November to December.

Year-over-year nonfarm employment increased 28,400, according to the EDD. Nonfarm employment at the end of 2017 sat at 1,481,900, compared to 1,510,300 in December 2018. Year-over-year farm employment numbers showed no changes between December 2017 and 2018.

The professional and business services industry grew the most from December 2017 to December 2018, adding 12,600 jobs.

California’s unadjusted employment rate closed the year at 4.2 percent, a decrease over the December 2017 rate of 4.5 percent. According to the EDD, the state has added 3,097,600 jobs since recovery from the 2008 recession began in February 2010.

Nationwide, the unemployment rate sat at 3.9 in December 2018, with employers adding 312,000 nonfarm jobs from November to December.

— City News Service

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