The unemployment rate in Long Beach, and across Los Angeles County, rose in May, according to data released Friday by the California Employment Development Department.
After two consecutive months of declines—from 5.2% unemployment in February to 4.6% in April—the EDD reported the city’s rate jumped to 4.9% last month. The labor force in Long Beach contracted by 1,100 people to 229,800.
The number of employed Long Beach residents fell by 1,700 month-over-month, while the number of unemployed residents increased from 10,500 to 11,200.
The county overall followed a similar trend, with the unemployment rate increasing from 4.3% to 4.5%. The labor force decreased by 21,400 residents to 4,969,400.
The number of employed residents countywide dropped by 36,800 to 4,728,500, while the number of unemployed residents increased by 15,400 to 240,900.
Leisure and hospitality led all sectors in month-over-month job gains in LA County, adding 11,600 positions—mostly in accommodation and food services, the EDD stated. Government, private education and health services, other services, construction and financial activities all also added jobs.
Information saw the greatest loss of jobs, reporting a loss of 4,300 positions—all in motion picture and sound recording amid the writers’ strike. Manufacturing, trade, transportation and utilities, and professional business services also recorded losses.
Of the 134 cities and areas across LA County, 82, or 66%, have a lower unemployment rate than Long Beach, according to EDD data. Six areas—Altadena, Covina, Montebello, Paramount, Rolling Hills and Rolling Hills Estates—have the same rate.
The statewide unemployment rate also increased, rising from 4.3% in April to 4.5% last month, according to the EDD.
“Although the writers’ strike and recent tech industry layoffs have captured headlines, overall, California employers have continued to expand payrolls,” Taner Osman, research manager at Beacon Economics, said in a statement Friday. “In the first five months of this year, the state’s economy has added more than 250,000 jobs, and during a time when many forecasted that we’d be in recession. Moreover, we haven’t yet moved into a seasonally strong period of the year.”
Statewide, health care led with payroll increases of 15,300 jobs, followed by professional, scientific and technical services with 11,600 jobs, according to a Beacon analysis. Leisure and hospitality, construction, other services, retail and trade, transportation, warehousing and utilities, government, education, and finance and insurance also added jobs.
Payrolls decreased in a small number of sectors, including wholesale trade, manufacturing and information.
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