Riverside County's unemployment rate headed higher last month on the heels of a decline in education-related employment as area schools let out for summer break.
The county's non-seasonally adjusted jobless rate in June, based on preliminary estimates, was 12.6 percent, eight-tenths of a percentage point higher than May, according to the California Economic Development Department.
The jobless rate was more than a percentage point below the year-ago level of 14.1 percent.
Riverside County's civilian labor force numbered 939,100 people, with 118,200 out of work, according to figures.
In Murrieta, 8.3 percent were unemployed in June, according to preliminary numbers. This was up five-tenths of percentage point from May's number of 7.8 percent, but more than a percentage point less than May one year ago when it was 9.4 percent.
Neighboring Temecula showed a preliminary June unemployment rate of 8.6 percent, up from 8 percent in May.
In Menifee, 13.4 percent were unemployed, also up from the previous month's rate of 12.6 percent.
Lake Elsinore had an unemployment rate of 12.2 percent in June, an increase of eight-tenths of a percentage point from May's rate of 11.4 percent.
And in Wildomar, 11.1 percent were unemployed—a jump from 10.4 percent in May.
The city of Cabazon had the highest unemployment rate countywide, at 30.6 percent, followed by Mecca at 24.8 percent and Homeland at 24.2 percent, according to the EDD.
The combined unemployment rate for Riverside and San Bernardino counties in June was 12.6 percent, up from 11.8 percent the prior month.
Bi-county data indicated payrolls shrank in four sectors of the regional economy. The largest decline—4,000 positions—was in local government employment as grade-school teachers and other school workers dropped out of the workforce for summer recess.
Six sectors added jobs, with the biggest gains in farming, where payrolls expanded by 4,000. The struggling construction industry also grew by 2,900 jobs after contracting in May.
The state's non-seasonally adjusted jobless rate was 10.7 percent; nationally, 8.2 percent were unemployed in June.
—Maggie Avants contributed to this report.
