County loses jobs, unemployment rises

San Diego County's unemployment rate in January was 4.5 percent, up from 4.1 percent in December. The county lost 19,000 jobs in the month.

Retail lost 6500 jobs, as people working in the holiday season were let go. Accommodation and food services dropped 2700 jobs, some of which were seasonal. However, job losses in government (3200), education and health services (2100), professional and business services (500), and construction (500) were not so easily explained by seasonality.

Between January of 2016 and this January, the county gained 32,000 jobs, or 2.3 percent.