Politics & Government
Mountain Views's Jobless Rate Declines a Tad
Santa Clara County has the seventh-lowest unemployment rate in the state.
Santa Clara County's unemployment rate fell again in March, dropping to its lowest mark in at least the past two years, according to data released Friday by the state Employment Development Department.
The county's unemployment rate dropped to 7.1 percent last month, down from 7.4 percent in February.
Every city Santa Clara County reported a slight improvement in the jobless rate from February to March. Mountain View experienced a bit of a decline in unemployment, reported at 5.3 percent in March compared to 5.4 percent in February.
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Saratoga and Los Altos reported the lowest unemployment rates at 3.6 percent. The highest was Gilroy, at 10.8 percent.
Between February and March, combined employment in South Bay counties of San Benito and Santa Clara grew by 5,200 jobs to reach 926,800, according to the EDD.
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The growth includes:
- a gain of 2,100 professional and business posiitons, most in administrative and support services
- 900 new construction jobs
- increases in public and private school jobs
However, government trimmed 800 jobs over the past year. Repair and maintenance work also dropped by 200 positions, according to the EDD.
Here is the city-by-city breakdown for Patch towns in Santa Clara County.
Santa Clara County Unemployment Data Area Unemployment Rate-March Unemployment Rate-February # of People Employed in March# of People Unemployed in February
6.1% 6.3% 22,300 1,500 Cupertino 4.6% 4.8% 24,500 1,200 Gilroy 10.8% 11.2% 19,600 2,400 Los Altos
3.6% 3.7% 13,000 500 Los Gatos
4.7% 4.8% 15,500 800 Milpitas
7.4% 7.6% 31,000 2,500 Mountain View
5.3% 5.4% 42,100 2,300 Palo Alto
3.8% 3.9% 32,100 1,300 Saratoga 3.6% 3.7% 13,700 500
Santa Clara County's unemployment rate also fared better than that for California or the nation, which were 9.4 percent and 7.6 percent, respectively.
The unemployment rate is derived from a federal survey of 5,500 California households.
Related on Mountain View Patch:
- New Safeway Opens at The Village at San Antonio Center
- Fresh & Easy Chain Will Be Sold: Mountain View Store to Stay Open
- Mountain View's Unemployment Continues Downward Trend
- Weirdest Job Interview Questions
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