By Jorge Mercado Monday, October 23rd, 2023

After a big leap from July to August, the unemployment rate along the Central Coast fell slightly in September, with each county also adding a slew of nonfarming jobs during the month.

According to the data released Oct. 19 from the California Employment Development Department, the unemployment rate of the tri-counties was 3.9% compared to 4% in the month of August.

Ventura County had the highest unemployment rate at 4.5% in September, down 0.1% from the previous month. It is the only county to have an unemployment rate greater than 4%.

San Luis Obispo’s unemployment rate remained the lowest in the tri-counties, sitting at 3.6% for the month of September compared to 3.7% in the month of August.

Santa Barbara County had the second-highest unemployment rate at 3.7% in September up from 3.9% in the month of August.

It was also an good month for job growth with the Central Coast adding a combined 5,000 jobs.

The majority of jobs added were in the government sector, as Ventura County added 1,700 government jobs, Santa Barbara County added 1,300 and San Luis Obispo County added 1,000.

Other sectors that saw growth included 300 jobs added in the leisure and hospitality sector in Santa Barbara County and 1,300 jobs being added in the private education and health sector in Ventura County.

After three months of California’s unemployment rate as a whole staying still, it rose 0.1% in the month of September to 4.7% as the state also added 19,900 nonfarming payroll jobs.

As of September, California has added 436,400 more nonfarm jobs than it had in February 2020 at the state’s pre-pandemic high.

Source: California Employment Development Department 

3.9% – The unemployment rate along the Central Coast in September

+5,000 – net gain of farming jobs along the Central Coast in September

4.7% – The unemployment rate for California in September