Palm Desert Unemployment Rate Several Points Below County Average

Riverside County's unemployment rate jumped nearly a half-percentage point to start off 2013 with job losses in most every sector of the regional economy.

The county's non-seasonally adjusted jobless rate in January, based on preliminary estimates, was 11.5 percent, compared with 11.1 percent in December, according to the California Employment Development Department.

In Palm Desert, though, the local unemployment number was far lower than the county average, at 6.8 percent, with 1,800 people reporting unemployment.

The county rate was still more than a percentage point below the level of January 2012, when unemployment stood at 12.8 percent.

The civilian labor force numbered 950,000 people, with 109,400 out of work, according to figures.  Palm Desert's labor force consists of a total of 26,100 people.

The city of Cabazon had the highest unemployment rate countywide, at 28.5 percent, followed by Mecca at 22.9 percent and Homeland at 22.5 percent, according to the EDD.

Figures for February are expected to be released in the next three weeks. The information has been delayed due to annual revisions in the data- collection process.

The combined unemployment rate for Riverside and San Bernardino counties in January also was 11.5 percent, up from 11 percent the prior month.

Bi-county data indicated payrolls contracted most significantly in trade, transportation and utilities, which lost 10,900 jobs, reflecting the post-Christmas season drop in demand for labor at retail outlets.

The educational and health services sector shed 3,200 positions, while the construction sector shrank by 2,400 jobs, according to the EDD.

Job losses totaling 3,800 were recorded in the public, financial, information technology, manufacturing, farm and other sectors, data showed.

Only the leisure and hospitality industry added jobs -- 1,400.

The state's non-seasonally adjusted jobless rate in January was 10.4 percent.

– City News Service contributed to this report.