Unemployment Rate in Ramona Stays at 9.4 Percent in March

The unemployment rate in Ramona remained at 9.4 percent in March, the same figure as February but down slightly from 9.6 percent in January, according to new data released Friday.

In San Diego County, the unemployment rate saw a slight increase to 10.2 percent in March, up from the 10.1 percent in February, according to the state Employment Development Department.

California’s jobless rate was 12.3 percent in March, up from 12.2 percent in February but down from the 12.8 percent rate from March of last year, according to the EDD. The rate in the United States was 9.2 percent, down from 9.5 percent in February.

Total nonfarm employment of more than 1.2 million increased by 10,300 jobs in San Diego County between February and March, led by new hires in leisure and hospitality, and business and professional services. The only job losses from February to March were in manufacturing.

Since March of last year, however, 1,000 positions in the construction trades were lost.

Last month a total of 800 people were unemployed in Ramona, which has a labor force of about 8,900.

A total of 159,000 people were unemployed in March in San Diego County, which has a labor force of almost 1.6 million. The numbers are not seasonally adjusted.

City News Service contributed to this report.