The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Los Angeles County dropped to 7.1 percent in July, down from 7.5 percent the previous month, the state Employment Development Department reported Friday.
The 7.1 percent rate was well below the 8.1 percent rate from July 2014.
In Orange County, where seasonally adjusted numbers were not available, the unemployment rate was 4.7 percent, up from 4.3 percent in June.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for California was 6.2 percent in July, down from 6.3 percent in June and below the 7.4 percent rate in July 2014. The comparable estimates for the nation were 5.3 percent in July, 5.3 percent in June and 6.2 percent a year ago.
According to the EDD, total nonfarm employment decreased in Los Angeles County by 32,600 jobs between June and July to reach nearly 4.3 million.
The summer recess led to a dramatic drop in educational employment, causing a loss of 33,000 jobs in the local government education sector, according to the EDD.
About 363,000 people were unemployed in July in Los Angeles County, which has a workforce of about 5.1 million.
—Staff and wire reports