While 2017 started with an increase in unemployment, February has seen those numbers slightly fall.

The unemployment rate in the Stanislaus County was 8.8 percent in February, down from a revised 9 percent in January, according to the Employment Development Department. The rate is below the year-ago estimate of 9.6 percent. 

Most industry sectors in Stanislaus County posted job gains in February with Mining, Logging and Construction adding the most at 300, followed by Manufacturing and Professional & Business Services both gaining 200.

The county did see significant losses in Trade, Transportation & Utilities at 700 jobs in February, however, the section is up 900 jobs for the year over.

For the month of February, Stanislaus County had an estimated labor force of 243,800, with 222,300 employed and 21,500 unemployed, the EDD reported.

Merced County had a February unemployment rate of 12.4 percent, down from 12.6 percent in January. San Joaquin County had an unemployment rate of 8.3 percent, down from 8.7 percent in January. The unemployment rate in California was at 5.2 percent in February, down from 5.5 percent the month prior and the nation’s unemployment was at 4.9 percent for the same time frame, which is an increase from the 5.1 percent posted for January.

Turlock had an unemployment rate of 7.9 percent in February, down from 8 percent posted in January Denair had a rate of 5.3 percent in February, up slightly from the 5.1 percent posted in January. Hughson had a February rate of 12.6 percent, down from the 12.8 percent posted in January. Keyes had a rate of 14.3 percent in February, down from the 14.6 percent in January. Ceres had an unemployment rate of 9.4 percent in February, down from the 9.6 percent in January.