INLAND EMPIRE – (INT) – A gain of 9,000 jobs in February has helped to lower the Inland Empire’s jobless rate to near the California average. During and immediately after the recession, joblessness in Riverside and San Bernardino counties was far above the state rate.

The State Employment Development Department reports that February’s unemployment rate in the IE fell to 5.3 percent for a .3 percent decline from January’s revised rate. About 107,000 people were looking for work.

Among the local communities, just about everyone needing a job in Wrightwood has one where joblessness was at 2.2 percent. Loma Linda came in at 2.9 percent.

Finding work in Cabazon is a challenge where February’s rate was 13.4 percent.

Story Date: April 7, 2017