Imperial County August Unemployment Rate Drops
Figures from the California Department of Economic Development show Imperial County's seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate decreased in August.
The number of employed people in Imperial County in August increased to 59,000, up from the July figure of 53,600.
According to figures from the EDD Web site, the unemployment rate for August in Imperial County was 28.7 per cent. That number represents a decrease of 1.5 percentage points from July, when the rate was 30.2 percent. The August unemployment rate in Imperial County is still the highest in the state, and the highest in the nation.
The number of people who were unemployed in Imperial County in July still increased. According to the EDD there were 23,800 unemployed people in Imperial County in August, which was an increase of 600 people from July, when the number of unemployed people in Imperial County was 23,200. However, the number of employed people in Imperial County in August increased to 59,000, up from the July figure of 53,600. The figures from the EDD also show the total labor force in Imperial County increased to 82,500, a big increase from the July figure of 76,800.
The EDD report also shows the unemployment rate in California rose again in August. The statewide unemployment rate was 12.2 percent in August, up from 11.9 percent in July.
For a comprehensive look at Imperial County's August employment figures, Click HERE
The county's all-time high unemployment rate is 31 percent, which was recorded in 1992, according to the 2007 annual report issued by the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation (IVEDC).
To view the report, Click HERE
The Imperial County numbers have not been seasonally adjusted. Due to the number of people in the region who work in agriculture, and who move out of the area when that work is completed, the number of unemployed people in Imperial County listed in the report is most likely higher than the actual number of unemployed people here, and may be adjusted downward.
Government employment, either local, state or federal, accounts for nearly one-third of all the jobs in Imperial County, due to the fact that two big state prisons are located in the county, (Calipatria and Centinela), and the presence of a large Border Patrol force. The IVEDC report also indicates that 21.8 percent of the Imperial county workforce is comprised of agricultural workers.