The unemployment rate in Stanislaus County rose slightly in October, but remained above the year-ago estimate, according to the latest report from the Employment Development Department.

Stanislaus County had an October unemployment rate of 5.5 percent, just a bit higher from the adjusted rate of 5.2 percent in September. The rate was below the year-ago estimate of 6 percent, the EDD reported.

For October, Stanislaus County had an estimated labor force of 244,000, with approximately 230,700 employed and 13,400 unemployed, according to the EDD.

The Manufacturing sector recorded the largest decline in employment for the month with an estimated 2,100 fewer jobs in Stanislaus County. The majority of those jobs came from food manufacturing, which typically sees a decline at the end of the harvest season. Manufacturing of durable goods dropped by 1.6 percent for the month.

The Mining, Logging, and Construction sector lost an estimated 300 positions for the month, followed by Leisure and Hospitality, which dropped by about 100 positions.

The Government sector added about 900 positions for the month of October, almost all of which came from education districts at the state and local levels.

Other sectors that added jobs for the month were: Educational and Health Services (200); Professional and Business Services (100); Information (100); and Farming (100).

Merced County had an unemployment rate of 6.1 percent, up from the 5.9 percent posted in September. San Joaquin County had an unemployment rate of 5.2 percent in October, a rise from the 5 percent recorded the month prior.

California had an unemployment rate of 4 percent for the month, while the nation’s was at 3.5 percent for the same time period.

Turlock’s unemployment rate rose to 4.4 percent in October, up from 4.3 percent in September. Denair’s rate was at 4.4 percent in October, up from 4.2 percent in September. Hughson had an October rate of 4.5 percent, an increase from the 4.4 percent posted in September. Keyes saw a rise from 10.4 percent in September to 10.8 percent in October. Ceres had an unemployment rate of 6.1 percent in October, down from the 5.9 percent in September.

The occupations with the most help wanted ads in Stanislaus County for October were: Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers – 486; Registered Nurses – 320; Retail Salespersons – 171; First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers – 99; Security Guards – 88; Customer Service Representatives — 83; Maintenance and Repair Workers – 74; First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers — 73; Teacher Assistants — 73; and Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers – 72.

The 10 companies that posted the most help wanted ads for October in Stanislaus County were: Tenet Healthcare Corporation – 186; Sutter Health –123; Modesto City Schools – 82; Target Corporation – 73; Robert Half International — 71; Nationwide Professional Resources, Inc. — 67; Kaiser Permanente – 64; Ceres Unified School District – 59; Heartland Express, Inc. — 52; and Stanislaus County Office of Education – 48.