It's also down from a year ago when the four-county unemployment rate was 9.4 percent.
Construction grew by 700 jobs, which is the opposite of what normally happens between January and February.
"Normally our average for construction, our 10 year average which we like to use here at the Labor Market, sees construction down 100 jobs from January to February," says George Marley with the Labor Market Information Division of the state Employment Development Department.
"Our five year average has been losing 600 jobs, obviously the five year average is including the Great Recession."
Marley says one reason the construction sector gained jobs is because of the mild winter weather. Since it didn't rain a lot, construction crews were able to continue working on projects.
Job gains in education, healthcare and government also helped to bring the Sacramento area unemployment rate down last month.
Among the sectors that lost jobs was retail, down by 1,700 jobs.
"But the average we've been seeing for the last 10 years is 1,500 for the month over and specifically for retail trade," says Marley, "so that's well within the seasonal norms."
April 5, 2021The state’s unemployment agency has signed $236 million in private contracts as jobless workers await benefits. EDD says it needs the outside help.
May 18, 2018The latest jobless numbers are out, showing unemployment in California and the Sacramento region at the lowest rates in decades.
August 18, 2017The Sacramento area unemployment rate increased last month. July's jobless rate was 5.2 percent, up from 4.8 percent in June. Analysts with the state Employment Development Department attribute the increase to seasonal cutbacks at schools.
May 30, 2017A new economic forecast shows slower economic growth for California
compared to recent years.
April 21, 2017The greater Sacramento area gained 5,500 jobs between February and March. That helped lower the unemployment rate from 5.1 percent in February to 5.0 percent in March - the lowest March jobless rate since 2006.
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