LAKE COUNTY — Countywide unemployment rose slightly last month, according to preliminary data released Friday by the state”s Employment Development Department.
Lake County”s jobless rate in March was 16.8 percent, an increase of 0.3 percentage points compared to revised February figures.
The March 2011 rate was 1.6 percent higher than last month.
The comparable rate — not seasonally adjusted — for California was 11.5 percent, an increase of 0.1 percentage points compared to February.
The comparable U.S. rate decreased 0.3 percentage points over the month to 8.4 percent.
Lake County dropped one spot in the statewide ranking, moving to 43rd out of 58 California counties.
The rates for neighboring counties included Mendocino at 11.5 percent, Napa at 9 percent and Sonoma at 9.5 percent.
Marin County again earned the lowest unemployment rate in the state, coming in at 7 percent. Colusa and Imperial counties tied for the highest at 26.2 percent.
