Jobless numbers down, but still high

Yuba County had the second-highest unemployment rate in California in August while a tumbling economy and crumbling housing market sent the state's jobless rate to 7.7 percent in August, the highest level since March 1996.

Yuba-Sutter's seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate was 11.2 percent last month.

The local figure was down from a revised 11.9 percent in July but well above 8 percent in August 2007.

A separate survey showed that area hiring picked up in seasonal industries such as farming, nondurable goods and transportation that reach their peak in summer. The area picked up 600 jobs in August from the previous month.

County rankings showed Yuba with the second-highest rate among California counties at 12.2 percent. Sutter County (10.5) was ranked seventh highest. Neither the county nor the metro area figures are seasonally adjusted to reflect farming or other trends. Yuba County has less agricultural production than Sutter, Colusa and other leading farming counties across the state.

Colusa County's jobless rate was 9.5 percent, 18th highest among the state's counties.

The state unemployment rate announced Friday by the state Employment Development Department was up from a revised 7.4 percent in July, and a big jump from the 5.5 percent figure a year ago.

Behind the numbers are 1.42 million unemployed Californians, more than triple the 413,000 jobless in August 2007. The department recorded a 61,000 increase in the jobless rolls just since July.

The Numbers

Yuba-Sutter unemployment rate:

August 2008 11.2 percent

August 2007 8 percent

County rankings:

2. Yuba 12.2 percent

7. Sutter 10.5 percent

18. Colusa 9.5 percent

Appeal-Democrat reporter John Dickey contributed to this report.