Stanislaus County lost an estimated 3,300 jobs in January as the unemployment rate climbed upward, according to the latest data from the Employment Development Department.

The unemployment rate in Stanislaus County was at 7.4 percent for January, up from a revised rate of 6.2 percent in December. The rate was unchanged from the year-ago estimate of 7.4 percent.

The current data released by the EDD comes as part of an annual revision of the data known as a benchmark. This is an annual revision process in which monthly labor force and payroll employment by industry estimates are updated. Throughout the year, employment by industry data are estimated based on sample data. On an annual basis, when updated information becomes available from detailed tax records, the employment by industry estimates are revised. Tax record data are used through March; therefore, the revision is referred to as the March Benchmark. 

The labor force data series is also revised. The labor force statistics are calculated based on a number of data sources including the employment by industry data, Unemployment Insurance claims filed, and at the State level, data from the Current Population Survey, a survey of households. As these industry employment and CPS data are updated, so are the labor force statistics. 

The latest numbers from the EDD show that every sector in Stanislaus County save one either lost jobs or had no job growth for the month.

The sector reporting the largest decline was in Trade, Transportation and Utilities, which saw a drop of approximately 1,700 positions, the EDD reported. Within that sector, clothing and general merchandise stores reported the largest losses, at 12.5 percent and 8.9 percent, respectively.

The Farming sector reported a decline of approximately 700 positions for the month, which is typical for the season. Other sectors reported job losses for the month were: Mining, Logging and Construction (200); Professional and Business Services (200); Educational and Health Services (200); Leisure and Hospitality (400); and Other Services (100).

The Manufacturing sector in Stanislaus County reported no job growth or decline for the month of January, but for the year-over the sector is down by an estimated 1,200 jobs, according to the EDD.

The Information and Financial Services sectors both reported zero job losses or gains.

The only sector in Stanislaus County to report job growth in January was the Government sector, which added around 200 positions, which was almost exclusively in the school districts.

Merced County had an unemployment rate of 10.3 percent in January, up from 8.2 percent in December. San Joaquin County had a rate of 7.2 percent unemployment in January, up from 6.1 percent.

California’s unemployment rate was at 4.8 percent for the month and the nation’s was at 4.5 percent for the same time period. California had a net gain of 3,000 jobs in January, according to the EDD.

Turlock’s unemployment rate grew to 5.3 percent in January, up from 4.4 percent in December. Denair’s rate was at 4.1 percent in January, down from 5.1 percent in December. Hughson had a January rate of 7.6 percent, an increase from the 5.2 percent posted in December. Keyes saw a drop from 12.3 percent in December to 10 percent in January. Ceres had an unemployment rate of 8.5 percent in January, up from the 7.4 percent in December.