The unemployment rate in Stanislaus County dipped down in April as the majority of the job sectors reported gains for the month, according to the Employment Development Department.

The unemployment rate came in at 5.1 percent in April, down from a revised rate of 5.7 percent in March. It also was below the year-ago estimate of 9.5 percent.

The Farming sector led the job growth in the county, with an estimated 1,000 positions added for the month, according to the EDD. For the year-over numbers, the sector is flat.

Educational and Health Services had the next largest employment gains, with approximately 500 new jobs. It was followed by Professional and Business Services, which added around 400 new jobs. Both sectors are above where they were last year, with Educational and Health Services posting 600 more positions than in April 2021 and Professional and Business Services adding 400 more than the previous year.

Other sectors that posted job gains in April in Stanislaus County were: Financial Activities (100); Other Services (100); and Mining, Logging and Construction (300).

The sectors that were flat for the month were Manufacturing, Information and Leisure and Hospitality. Despite not posting job gains for the month, all three sectors are above the job rates posted from last year at this time, according to the EDD data. The Leisure and Hospitality secotr has added approximately 2,000 more positions from April 2021 to April 2022.

The two sectors that posted job declines were Government, by an estimated 200 positions and Trade, Transportation and Utilities, which reported a drop of 300 positions.

Historically, summer beings a boom in employment to Stanislaus County as crops come to harvest and go to food processing plants.

Stanislaus County had an estimated labor force of 239,800 people in April, with 227,500 employed and 12,200 unemployed.