The start of the new year only brought more unemployment to the local region, according to new preliminary data provided by the State of California Employment Development Department (EDD). 

In January, the unemployment rate in Stanislaus County rose from 6.9% in December to 7.6% — translating to roughly 18,900 people without work. Meanwhile, Merced County’s unemployment rate in the first month of the calendar year was 10.9% — roughly 13,200 people without work — which is a 1.2% increase from December.

The statistics come as the state reported a 5.7% unemployment rate in January and the nation had a 4.1% rate.

In Stanislaus County, every single industry saw job losses with the exception of the local government sector (400 hires) and the health care and social assistance sector (200 hires). The biggest job loss came within the farming industry with 1,100 jobs let go, mainly due in part to the colder and wetter climate. Not too far behind was the retail industry, which let go of roughly 1,000 workers in the aftermath of the holiday shopping season; 500 employees were also lost in the leisure and hospitality industry.

A similar story unfolded in Merced County, where not a single industry experienced growth. Each industry either lost/laid off workers or remained stagnant. The farming industry saw a net loss of about 700 workers. Local government, retail and transportation and utilities lost 200 workers each. 

In Turlock, about 1,900 members of the labor force were without work during the month. There were 400 unemployed individuals in Hughson, while Hilmar has about 200. Denair and Keyes had approximately 100 folks without jobs each in January.

The most in-demand jobs across both counties remain in the health care and social assistance sector. There are currently 1,226 openings in the industry in Stanislaus County and 306 in Merced County. Of those jobs, registered nurses are far and away the position that is in most demand with 371 online job postings in Stanislaus County and 108 in Merced County.