Imperial County Unemployment Rate on the Rise | Featured

EL CENTRO — While 300 nonfarm jobs were added to the local economy in June, Imperial County’s unemployment rate rose to 16.4 percent from 15.5 percent in May.

According to the Employment Development Department (EDD), last month’s unemployment rate was below the 16.5 percent of a year ago.

The unemployment rate has fallen since October 2023, the report said.

According to the EDD, the number of employed workers rose to 70,500 in June from 70,200 in May. In the Imperial Valley, no jobs were lost in agriculture and 100 were added in manufacturing, another 100 in trade, transportation and utilities and another 100 in local government.

The EDD report said the number of people in the Civilian Labor Force also rose from 72,800 in May to 73,100 in June. The number of unemployed rose from 11,300 in May to 12,000 in June.

According to the EDD, California’s unemployment rate also rose, from 4.6 percent in May to 5.3 percent in June.

On a year-over-year basis, Imperial Valley recorded a loss of 600 agricultural jobs and an increase of 1,800 non-farm jobs.

The number of people employed in the agricultural sector fell from 11,200 last year to 10,600 last month.

While private education and health services saw 600 more jobs added last year and local government added 400, professional and business services added 300 jobs, trade, transportation and utilities added 200 and mining, logging and construction added 100. Only manufacturing reported 100 fewer jobs.

At 26.2 percent, Calexico leads the Imperial Valley with the highest unemployment rate, followed by Westmorland (22.6 percent), Holtville (18.3 percent), Calipatria (17.6 percent), Brawley (13.3 percent), El Centro (12.9 percent), Imperial (9.1 percent) and Heber (5.8 percent).