Unemployment rate for county shows slight improvement

Unemployment in San Diego County dropped slightly in December to 10.1 percent, down from a revised 10.6 percent in November, but remained well above the 7.5 percent jobless rate of a year ago, a state agency reported Friday.

The state’s unemployment rate was unchanged at 12.4 percent in December, according to the California Employment Development Department. California’s unemployment rate in December 2008 was 8.7 percent.

The national unemployment rate in December was 10 percent, also unchanged from the previous month.

Between November and December, the San Diego region shed 1,600 jobs, most in the government sector, according to the EDD. The trade, transportation and utilities sectors added 2,000 jobs, however.