The latest unemployment rates show a slight improvement in unemployment rates in Lake and Mendocino Counties. The state Employment Development Department puts the September rate–the most recent available–at 5.5% in September, down from a revised 5.8% in August. The rate in September 2024 was 5.1%. The jobless rate in Lake County was 7% in September, down from a revised 7.2% in August. The rate in September 2024 was 6.2%.. Both counties posted gains in transportation and utilities; professional and business services; private education and health services, with declines in mining, logging, and construction; wholesale and retail trades and hospitality-related jobs. The statewide rate of 5.6 percent in September was one of the highest in the U.S., a full percent more than the most recent U S average of 4.6 percent released today