February unemployment drops to 3.5 percent

The unemployment rate in San Diego County dropped to 3.5 percent in February from a revised 3.6 percent in January, according to the March 23 California Employment Development Department report. The county gained 5300 jobs in professional and business services and 2900 in construction. Those are good economic signs, but leisure and hospitality dropped 100 jobs, portending slight tourism weakness.

Bostonia (near El Cajon) had the highest unemploymet rate at 6.9 percent. Solana Beach had the lowest at 1.4 percent.

Adjoining Imperial County, which has a chronic unemployment problem, had a rate of 16 percent. Tech-heavy Santa Clara County was at 2.9 percent.