The Bay Area job market rocketed higher in October, achieving its strongest gains in eight months and raising hopes that the region’s economy might be starting to shake off its coronavirus-linked maladies.
The employment improvement in the nine-county region last month was led by big increases in Santa Clara County and the San Francisco-San Mateo region, as well as sturdy gains in the East Bay, government labor officials reported Friday.
The Bay Area added 21,100 jobs in October, the region’s best showing since March when it gained 23,900 jobs, this news organization’s analysis of the new report shows.
Santa Clara County added 8,100 jobs, the San Francisco-San Mateo region gained 8,700 jobs, while the East Bay increased by 2,300 positions. All the numbers were adjusted for seasonal variations.
The gains in the South Bay were the best since February and the San Francisco-San Mateo employment increases were the best since June.
California added 96,800 jobs during October and the statewide unemployment rate improved slilghtly to 7.3% last month, down from 7.5% in September.Among the smaller urban centers in the Bay Area during October, Sonoma County added 1,700 jobs, Napa County gained 400 positions and Marin County gained 100 jobs, while Solano County lost 200 jobs.