LAKE COUNTY — County joblessness dropped to its lowest rate since 2008 last month, according to data released by the California Employment Development Department.
Lake County”s preliminary April unemployment rate was 12.8 percent, representing a 1.2-percent decrease compared to March and 2.8 percent below April 2012.
Initial figures indicate the county”s unemployment count dropped by 330 people, helped by an increase in employment and a decrease in the workforce population. Overall, the county has added 90 jobs since this time last year.
Despite the rate improvement, Lake County slipped in the statewide ranking, going from 42nd to 44th out of 58 California counties.
Rates for neighboring counties were Colusa at 19.9 percent, Mendocino at 8 percent, Napa at 5.9 percent and Sonoma at 6.5 percent. Marin County (4.6 percent) retained the best rate in the state while Imperial County (24 percent) unseated Colusa County for the worst rate.
Lake County continues to lag behind state and national unemployment totals, which came in at 9 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively, in April.
