January 24,2015
San Luis Obispo‘s December jobless rate is down to 5 percent says EDD – the best December reading since 2007. December 2013 saw 5.8 percent and there were a number of years the rate was 8% or higher.
Some 6900 were unemployed last month compared to 8000 residents a year ago.
Surprisingly there was a jump in farm employment in December, up 100 from a year earlier. Nonfarm jobs climbed by 1400.
Construction and goods producing jobs were up 3.9 and 4.8% but retail jobs were lower by 6.4%. Real estate jobs also fell year-over- year. Tourist related jobs climbed 5%.
Statewide the jobless rate fell to 6.7% from 7.9% a year earlier. The US rate is down to 5.4%.