By Jorge Mercado Friday, December 16th, 2022

The unemployment rate in the tri-county region has ticked up steadily over the past couple of months, rising to 3.2% in November, according to data released Dec. 16 by the California Employment Development Department.

San Luis Obispo County continues to post the region’s lowest unemployment rate, currently sitting at 2.8%.

In Santa Barbara County, the unemployment rate rose from 2.8% in October to 3.2% in November.

And, in Ventura County, the November unemployment rate was 3.7%, up from 3.4% the month prior.

Farming jobs continue to be cut across all three counties in November, as the winter months bring a decline in the agricultural industry.

Across all three counties, 4,100 farm jobs were cut in November, the majority of those losses coming from Santa Barbara County with 2,400 job cuts. The tri-county region did add 3,300 non-farm jobs during the month, however, as the state continues to do the same.

In November, California added 26,800 nonfarm jobs – the 14th consecutive month of job growth, the Employment Development Department said in its Dec. 16 news release.

The unemployment rose to 4.1% in November, but year-over-year, California added 675,000 new jobs, growing at a 4% annual pace, higher than the country’s 3.3% growth and equaling the state’s largest pre-pandemic recorded year-over job growth rate.

In November, the biggest statewide job gains came in the leisure and hospitality industry, with more people traveling for the holiday season, adding 13,900 jobs. The education and health services industry was second with 13,400 jobs added.

Trade, Transportation and Utilities lost the most jobs, with a decline of 20,400 from October to November.