La Mesa, Spring Valley Jobless Rates in March Up from February

La Mesa’s unemployment rate edged up to 8.0 percent in March, according to state figures released last week.

But the jobless rate is better than that of March 2011, when it was 8.4 percent in La Mesa, according to the state Employment Development Department.

About 2,800 people were unemployed in the La Mesa area in March, said the state. The February jobless rate here was 7.8 percent.

In Mount Helix-Casa de Oro, the rate sat at 9.0 with 1,000 jobless, up 0.2 percent since last month. In Spring Valley, the rate was 0.2 percent as well, at 11 percent, with 1,700 jobless.

The rate for March 2011 for Mount Helix-Casa de Oro and Spring Valley were also down, from 9.5 percent and 11.6 percent, respectively.

Despite a gain in the number of jobs, the unemployment rate in San Diego County rose to 9.5 percent in March, up from 9.4 percent in February but down from 10.1 percent in March 2011, the state reported Friday.

The San Diego County figure compares to 11.5 percent for California and 8.4 percent for the nation, according to the state agency. The figures are not seasonally adjusted.

San Diego city jobless rate was 9.5 percent in March, with 67,900 out of work.

Jobless rates in March for other Patch communities:

• Carlsbad: 6.3 percent (with 3,100 out of work).
• Coronado:  6.1 percent (500 jobless)
• Encinitas: 6.8 percent (2,700 jobless)
• Imperial Beach: 15.2 percent (2,200 jobless)
• Lemon Grove: 11.9 percent (1,700 jobless)
• Oceanside: 9.1 percent (7,900 jobless)
• Poway: 5.7 percent (1,600 jobless)
• Ramona: 8.8 percent (800 jobless)
• Santee: 8.0 percent (2,700 jobless)

The countywide increase of 3,400 positions last month was offset by a larger labor pool, according to the state.

The agency reported large gains in leisure and hospitality—especially in restaurants and other food services, and government last month.

Over the past year, the biggest job-gaining sectors in the area were education and health services; trade, transportation and utilities; leisure and hospitality; and professional and business services.

The civilian labor force of not quite 1.6 million people in March was an increase of about 5,500 from the previous month, and around 8,800 more than March 2011, according to state data.

Just over 152,000 San Diegans were listed as unemployed last month, 3,000 more than February but 7,400 less than March of last year, the agency said.

City News Service contributed to this report.