Riverside County unemployment rate rises to 6.2% in August

Riverside County’s unemployment rate rose to 6.2% in August, up from 5.9% in July, according to preliminary estimates from the California Employment Development Department. While the rate is slightly lower than the 6.3% recorded a year ago, specific areas within the county face higher joblessness. Coachella reported the highest rate at 12.8%, followed by Cherry Valley at 11.3% and Blythe at 11.1%.

The Inland Empire, comprising Riverside and San Bernardino counties, saw a combined unemployment rate of 5.9% in August, an increase from 5.7% in July. Employment losses were most significant in the agricultural sector, which lost approximately 1,700 positions, alongside losses in the information technology and miscellaneous unclassified industries.

Conversely, several sectors showed growth, including construction, financial services, health services, hospitality, and transportation, which collectively added 6,400 positions. Manufacturing, mining, and professional services remained unchanged. In the broader Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario area, July data indicated an unemployment rate of 5.7% with approximately 125,000 unemployed individuals.