Construction Payrolls Expand In Inland Empire, Latest EDD Report Shows

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Gains throughout the regional economy pushed Riverside County's unemployment rate lower last month, according to figures released Friday by the California Employment Development Department.

The countywide jobless rate in April, based on preliminary EDD estimates, was 4.1%, compared to 4.6% in March.

According to figures, the April rate was four-tenths of a percentage point higher than the year-ago level, when countywide unemployment stood at 3.7%.

An estimated 47,300 county residents were recorded as out of work in April, and 1,095,100 were employed, according to EDD.

Mecca had the highest unemployment rate countywide last month at 10.2%, followed by Coachella at 7.6%, Cherry Valley at 7.5%, Rancho Mirage at 5.9%, and Hemet at 5.8%.

The combined unemployment rate for Riverside and San Bernardino counties -- the Inland Empire -- in April was also 4.1%, down from 4.6% in March, according to figures.

Bi-county data indicated payrolls expanded by the widest margin in the construction sector, which added 4,000 positions.

Additional gains were recorded in the financial services, government, health services, hospitality and professional business services sectors, which altogether grew by an aggregate 4,900 jobs.

Miscellaneous unclassified industries added another 800 positions.

Payrolls declined in the manufacturing and retail trade sectors, which shed a total 2,600 jobs.
The agricultural, information technology and mining sectors were unchanged, according to the EDD.

Data showed that the statewide non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in April was 4.3%.