S.D. Jobless Rate Highest in Nearly 7 Years

San Diego County’s unemployment rate jumped to 6.3% in January, the first time local joblessness has exceeded 6% of the work force in nearly seven years. The rise also adds more evidence of the recession’s growing hold on the local economy.

Although trending upward, the local jobless rate is still below the statewide and U.S. unemployment rates, Nowell said.

The most recent unemployment figures, which compare with 5.4% in December and 3.8% in January of 1990, was increased by growing losses of jobs in the construction and manufacturing sectors, said Jack Nowell, labor market analyst with the state Employment Development Department.

Nowell said 73,200 San Diegans are now out of work, up from 63,000 in December and 44,400 a year ago. The county’s work force includes more than 1 million jobholders.

In January, California’s unemployment rate was 7.4%, up from 6.6 % in December and 5.5% in January 1990. Nationwide, 7% of the work force was out of work in January, up from the 5.9% unemployment rate in December and 5.9% in January 1990.

A particularly bad sign for the San Diego economy, Nowell said, was that construction jobs in the county dropped to 57,300 in January, down from 62,100 in December and 65,800 in October 1989.

Manufacturing jobs also slipped, dropping to 134,600 in January, down from 137,000 in January 1990.