California, Sacramento Unemployment Rates Hit Record Lows

The latest jobless numbers are out, showing unemployment in California and the Sacramento region at the lowest rates in decades.

Cara Welch with the state Employment Development Department says April's unemployment rate in the Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade area was 3.4 percent. That's down from 3.8 in March, and 4.5 percent a year ago.

"This is the lowest its been, going back to my data series, of 1990," says Welch.

Welch says nearly every employment sector added jobs last month. Transportation utilities added 1,200 jobs, the farm industry 900, and education and health services 900. 

The only sector to see job losses in April was government, which declined by 200 jobs.

California’s unemployment rate fell to its lowest rate since 1976, when the state started tracking the data, dropping to 4.2 percent. A year ago, California's jobless rate was 5 percent.

Overall the state gained 39,300 jobs in April. California's construction industry added 10,000 jobs, while professional and business services gained 8,500 positions and trade, transportation and utilities saw an increase of 6,900.

Meanwhile, the nation’s unemployment rate fell to 3.9 percent last month.