Riverside County's Jobless Rate Fell in February, State Data Show

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA -- Payroll gains in multiple sectors of the regional economy helped push the unemployment rate in Riverside County down last month, state officials said today.

Based on preliminary estimates, the jobless rate in February was 4.5 percent, compared with 4.8 percent in January, according to the California Employment Development Department.

The rate was one-tenth of a percentage point lower than the year-ago level, when countywide unemployment stood at 4.6 percent, figures showed.

Roughly 49,400 residents were out of work in February, and 1,053,700 were employed, according to the EDD.

The unincorporated community of Cabazon had the highest unemployment rate countywide at 10 percent, followed by Coachella at 9 percent and the unincorporated community of Highgrove at 7.7 percent.

The state's jobless rate in February was 4.4 percent, Employment Development Dept. data show.

City News Service contributed to this report.