Riverside County’s unemployment rate remained at a steady 5% last month, according to figures released Friday by the California Employment Development Department.
The countywide jobless rate in July, based on preliminary EDD estimates, remained the same as in June, when the rate was also 5%.
According to figures, the July rate was nearly a full percentage point above the year-ago level, when countywide unemployment stood at 4.2%.
An estimated 56,900 county residents were recorded as out of work last month, and 1,085,700 were employed, according to EDD.
Total nonfarm employment in Riverside and San Bernardino County decreased by 9,400 positions between June and July while agricultural employment decreased by 1,800, according to figures.
Bi-county data indicated that the government sector lost the most of any other sector over the month with 12,900 jobs, 12,700 of which were in local government, according to the EDD.
Additional losses were recorded in the financial activities, real estate and rental and leasing, finance and insurance, professional and business services, and private education and health services, which altogether lost 2,400 jobs, data showed.
The construction sector expanded by 3,100 positions while civil engineering construction remained unchanged, according to officials.
Data indicated that the statewide non-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in July was 4.6%.