State unemployment falls to 4.2 percent

California’s unemployment rate fell to 4.2 percent in April, down five percent year-over-year, as state employers added 39,300 non-agricultural jobs during that time, according to data.

That was the lowest jobless rate recorded in the state since early 1976, the state Employment Development Department reported.

California has now added more than 2.9 million jobs since the economic recovery officially began in February 2010.

The U.S. unemployment rate last month was 3.9 percent.

Locally, San Bernardino County’s jobless rate was 3.6 percent while Riverside County’s was 3.9 percent, both unadusted.

Non-agricultural jobs in California totaled more than 17 million last month, a year-over-year increase of 356,800 jobs. Approximately 815,000 California residents were out of work last month, a drop of about 139,000 compared with April 2017.

Ten of California’s 11 industrial sectors posted job gains last month. Only manufacturing, which dropped 1,400 jobs, posted a loss, according to the data.