North Bay unemployment rises in January over month but mostly down for year

Unemployment in the North Bay region for January rose in all six counties, but California overall continued a record low of 3.9% for the month, according to data released Friday by the California Employment Development Department.

The department did not report unemployment figures for February because the agency was undergoing its annual benchmarking process.

The state has been adding jobs each month for the last 119 months, surpassing the long expansion of the 1960s, according to the data. Comparatively, the state's 3.9% unemployment rate in January improved from a year earlier, which was 4.3%. The national rate was 4% in January.

Marin County's unemployment rate in January ticked up to 2.4% from 2% but still held as the lowest in the North Bay area. Sonoma County followed at 2.9%, while Napa County reported an unemployment rate of 3.5%. Solano County's unemployment rate in January was 4%, and Mendocino County's figure was 4.8%. Lake County reported 6% unemployment for January.

Marin County

The unemployment rate in Marin County at 2.4% in January was up from a revised 2% in December 2019, but below the January 2019 estimate of 2.7%.

There were no jobs added over 12 months. Mining and logging, along with government jobs were flat. Fewer positions were filled in all other sectors.

Napa County

The unemployment rate in Napa County was 3.5% in January, up from a revised 2.9% in December 2019 and below the estimate of 4% the previous January.

There were no jobs added. Fewer jobs were filled in government; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; professional and business services; and leisure and hospitality. All other sectors were flat.

Sonoma County

The unemployment rate in Sonoma County was 2.9% in January, up from a revised 2.4% in December 2019 and below the estimate of 3.3% at the beginning of 2019.

The county added jobs in educational and health services. Fewer jobs were filled in mining, logging and construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; financial activities; professional and business services; leisure and hospitality; and government.

Solano County

The unemployment rate in Solano County was 4% in January, up from a revised 3.3% in December 2019 and below the estimate of 4.7% for the first month of last year.

The county added jobs in professional and business services. Information services, as well as mining and logging jobs were flat. All other sectors reported fewer jobs.

Mendocino County

The unemployment rate in Mendocino County in January was 4.8%, up from 3.7% in December 2019.

The county added jobs in state government. Information services and federal government jobs were flat. Fewer jobs were filled in the county's other sectors.

Lake County

The unemployment rate in Lake County in January was 6%, up from 5.1% in December 2019.

The county added jobs in professional and business services; educational and health services; and leisure and hospitality. There were fewer jobs, or none added, in the county's other industries.