LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County’s August unemployment rate tied for the second-lowest jobless number in nearly 30 years thanks to a summertime increase in farm jobs, according to the latest Employment Development Department report.

The report showed that Lake County had a 4.5-percent unemployment rate in August, down from 5.1 percent in July. Over the past 29 years of state employment records, the August rate is second only to the 4.2-percent rate registered in May.

California’s unemployment rate was a record low 4.1 percent in August, the same as July 2019 and August 2018, the report said.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the nationwide jobless rate in August was 3.7 percent, the same rate for three months straight. The August 2018 rate was 3.8 percent.

In Lake County, the improvement in the employment picture was largely thanks to the agriculture industry having a 35.9-percent job increase in August, a month that is a peak harvest time for key crops including pears.

That increase in farming activity added 460 jobs, while the total nonfarm category increased by 3.3 percent, or 520 jobs, according to state data.

Lake County’s civilian labor force numbered 29,970 individuals in August, compared to 29,030 in July and 29,270 in August 2018, based on state data.

At the same time, in August there were 1,340 unemployed Lake County residents, compared to 1,430 in July and 1,480 in August 2018, the state said.

Lake County was ranked No. 33 statewide for its July unemployment rate. Neighboring county jobless rates and rankings are Colusa, 8.5 percent, No. 56; Glenn, 6.1 percent, No. 50; Mendocino, 3.6 percent, No. 17; Napa, 2.7 percent, No. 5; Sonoma, 2.7 percent, No. 5; and Yolo, 3.9 percent, No. 24, the report said.

The statewide employment picture

California’s employers added 34,500 nonfarm payroll jobs in August, contributing to a record job expansion in California of 114 months, surpassing the expansion of the 1960s. Gains were mostly in the government, educational and health services, and leisure and hospitality industry sectors.

California has gained 3,330,100 jobs since the job expansion began in February 2010, accounting for more than 15 percent of the nation’s job gains over the expansion, the state said.

The report said California payroll jobs totaled 17,519,700 in August 2019, up 34,500 from July 2019 and up 314,200 from August of last year. That’s compared to the U.S. annual gain of 2,074,000 jobs.

The number of Californians holding jobs in August was 18,589,300, an increase of 5,500 from July and down 34,500 from the employment total in August of last year, the report said.

The report said the number of unemployed Californians was 790,800 in August, a decrease of 13,200 over the month and down by 7,000 compared with August of last year.

As was the case in Lake County, the state saw an overall increase in farming jobs in August.

The Employment Development Department said the number of jobs in California’s agriculture industry increased by 1,700 jobs from July to 427,600. The agricultural industry has added 3,600 farm jobs since August 2018.

In related data, the Employment Development Department said there were 309,691 people receiving Unemployment Insurance benefits during the survey week in August compared to 308,212 in July and 306,175 people in August 2018. Concurrently, 34,775 people filed new claims in August which was a month-over decrease of 4,715.

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.