More La Mesans are Working: Jobless Rate Falls to 8.2 Percent for April

La Mesa and Santee shared the lowest unemployment rate in East County in April—both at 8.2 percent—as the county dipped below 10 percent for the first time in nearly two years.

With an estimated 33,600 people in the labor force, La Mesa in April had 2,800 out of work, according to the state Employment Development Department.

The city’s jobless rate had been stuck at 8.5 percent for two months.  The April figures were not seasonally adjusted.

Neighboring communities aren’t faring as well as La Mesa, with El Cajon posting an unemployment rate of 13.3 percent, Lemon Grove 12.2 percent, Spring Valley 11.3 percent and Casa de Oro/Mount Helix 9.2 percent, according to state figures (attached).

With 4,600 people out of work, National City had the county’s highest jobless rate at 18.6 percent. With jobless residents, Valley Center had the county’s lowest rate at 4.8 percent.

California’s jobless rate in April was 11.7 percent, with 2.1 million people out of work, the state said. Marin County had the lowest rate at 7.6 percent. Imperial County had the highest rate at 27.9 percent—up from a revised rate of 27.3 percent in March.

The state EDD said 584,141 Californians were getting regular unemployment insurance benefits during the April survey week. This compares with 630,829 last month and 729,211 last year. New claims for unemployment insurance were 63,739 in April 2011, compared with 61,076 in March and 83,896 in April 2010.