Unemployment rates in Bay Area below state average

Unemployment rates in all Bay Area counties in February were below the state's average, officials with the State of California Employment Development Department (EDD) said.

San Mateo County's unemployment rate in February was the lowest among the nine Bay Area counties at 3.5 percent.

The unemployment rate in two other counties was also below 4 percent. The City and County of San Francisco's unemployment rate was 3.8 percent in February and the unemployment rate in Marin County was 3.7 percent.

The Employment Development Department made the announcements in conjunction with a report that California's unemployment rate dropped to 6.7 percent in February from 7 percent in January and 8 percent a year ago.

California employers added nearly 30,000 jobs last month.

Two Bay Area counties had unemployment rates between 4 and 5 percent, according to the EDD.

The unemployment rate in Santa Clara County was 4.3 percent last month and in Sonoma County the unemployment rate was 4.9 percent.

The unemployment rate was 5 percent in both Napa and Alameda counties and 5.3 percent in Contra Costa County in February, EDD officials said.

Solano County had the highest rate in the Bay Area in February at 6.6 percent, according to the EDD.

For information on Bay Area job fairs, click here.