LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Despite being in the midst of the summer agricultural season, unemployment increased slightly in Lake County in July, according to the state's latest employment on jobs.

The California Employment Development Department reported that Lake County's July unemployment registered at 7.2 percent, up from 6.7 percent in June but below the July 2014 estimate of 8.8 percent. 

The agency said California's overall jobless rate decreased slightly to 6.2 percent in July. In June, the state’s unemployment rate –  derived from a federal survey of 5,500 California households – was 6.3 percent, and in July 2014, the unemployment rate was 7.4 percent.

Also in July, the nationwide jobless rate was 5.3 percent, unchanged from June but down from 6.2 percent in July 2014, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Nonfarm jobs in California totaled 16,149,000 in July, an increase of 80,600 jobs over the month, according to a survey of 58,000 California businesses that measures jobs in the economy.

The year-over-year change, July 2014 to July 2015, showed an increase of 494,200 jobs – up 3.2 percent, the Employment Development Department reported.

The federal survey of 5,500 households showed an increase in the number of employed people, estimating the number of Californians holding jobs in July was 17,861,000, an increase of
14,000 from June, and up 455,000 from the employment total in July of last year.

The number of people unemployed in California was 1,179,000 – down by 17,000 over the month, and down by 217,000 compared with July of last year, according to the report.

The Employment Development Department said Lake County's civilian workforce totaled 30,070 people in July, with 2,150 people unemployed, compared to 30,520 people and 2,050 unemployed in June, and a 29,850-person workforce in July 2014, when 2,620 people were unemployed.

The total farm industry category showed 7.4 percent job growth in July, with total nonfarm experiencing a -3.3 percent rate, based on Employment Development Department data.

Within the total nonfarm category, areas showing growth included total private, 1.5 percent; private service providing, 1.5 percent; and goods producing, 1.2 percent. Service providing showed a decline of -3.6 percent.

In July, Lake County's 7.2-percent unemployment rate ranked it No. 33 statewide. Lake's neighboring counties were ranked as follows: Colusa, 11.8 percent, No. 57; Glenn, 9.2 percent, No. 47; Mendocino, 5.5 percent, No. 14; Napa, 4.4 percent, No. 5; Sonoma, 4.6 percent, No. 6; and Yolo, 6.3 percent, No. 24.

The lowest unemployment rate in the state, 3.6 percent, was recorded in San Mateo County, while the highest, 24.2 percent, was in Imperial County, according to the Employment Development Department's report.

In other employment news, the Employment Development Department reported that there were 377,940 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the July survey week, compared with 362,157 in June and 426,224 in July of last year.

In July new claims for Unemployment Insurance were 45,435 in July, compared with 45,591 in June and 56,565 in July of last year, the agency said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.