The unemployment rate in Stanislaus County saw some improvements with the February rate coming in at 9%, according to the Employment Development Department.

The unemployment rate of 9% is below the 9.4% revised rate for January, which was the same rate posted for December. The February rate is above the year-ago estimate of 6.5%.

In February 2020, Stanislaus County had an unemployment rate of 6.6% before shooting up to 17% in March when the statewide lockdown began.

Several sectors were able to post job gains in February with Leisure and Hospitality adding the most at approximately 1,000 jobs, according to the EDD. Farming added an estimated 600 positions for the month and Educational and Health Services reported a growth of approximately 500 jobs, for the next two highest gains.

Even with those solid gains for the month, those three sectors are down in jobs when compared to the same time frame last year. Leisure and Hospitality jobs in Stanislaus County are down by about 3,300 jobs and Educational and Health Services are down by an estimated 2,200 jobs. Farming was only down by about 100 jobs, the EDD reported.

The sectors of Government and Mining, Logging and Construction both reported gains of about 200 jobs in February. Government for the year-ago rate is down by an estimated 2,400 positions and Mining, Logging and Construction is down by approximately 400 jobs.

Manufacturing added an estimated 100 jobs for the month and is above the year-ago rate by about 100 positions, according to the EDD.

Information and Financial Services stayed flat for the month of February. Both sectors are down from the year-ago rate by 400 positions each.

The only sector to report a decline in jobs for the month was Trade, Transportation and Utilities, which dropped by an estimated 200 positions. Compared to the rate from 2020, the sector is down by approximately 300 positions.

Stanislaus County had an estimated labor force of 219,500 in February and approximately 21,700 unemployed.

Merced County had an unemployment rate of 11.5% in February. San Joaquin County's February unemployment rate came in at 9.5%.

California had an unemployment rate of 8.4% while the nation's was at 6.6% for the same time period. The previous month California was at 9.2% and the U.S. was at 6.8%.

For February Turlock had an unemployment rate of 7%, down from 7.6% in January. Denair's came in at 8.5%, down from 8.8%. Hughson had a rate of 4.9 % down from 5.1%. Keyes reported a rate of 11%, down from 11.4% and Ceres had a rate of 10.1%, down from 10.4%.

The EDD released data regarding the online job vacancies and the companies looking to hire for the month of February. The top 10 positions with the most job ads for the month in Stanislaus County were: Registered nurses - 489, which was down by 58 from the month prior; retail salespersons - 258, which was down by 31 from January; laborer and freight, stock and material movers - 220, which decreased by 36 for the month; sales representatives wholesale and manufacturing except scientific and technical products - 212, which dropped by 13 from January; customer service representatives - 189, which was down by 10 from the month prior; heavy and tractor-trailer drivers - 188, which was an increase of 36 from the previous month; first-line supervisors of retail sales workers - 172, which was two less than in January; stock clerks and order fillers - 152, which dropped by 69 from January's rate; maintenance and repair workers - 142, which was an increase of six from January; and managers - 135, which increased by one.

The top 10 companies posting the most online job vacancies in Stanislaus county in February were: Anthem Blue Cross - 436, down by 61; Tenet Health System - 141, down by 19; Modesto City Schools - 139, up by 31; Sutter Health - 112, down by 23; Ceres Unified School District - 103, up by 42; Amazon - 90, down by 135; Emanuel Medical Center - 88, down by 15; E&J Gallo Winery - 77, up by one; CVS Health - 77, the same as January; and Covenant Care - 76, up from 56.