With the agricultural production season wrapping up in San Benito County, the local unemployment rate edged up slightly to 6.9 percent in November from 6.4 percent in October, but it is nearly 2 percent below the 8.7 rate in the county a year ago at this time.

Compared to November 2013, the unemployment rate in San Benito County has fallen 1.5 percent.

California's unemployment rate fell to 5.7 percent in November, according to data released this week by the California Employment Development Department (EDD). Meanwhile, the unemployment rate nationwide was unchanged at 5 percent last month. 

The month-to-month change in the state was just .1 percent, but it represented a 1.5 percent drop from November 2014. The unemployment rate is derived from a federal survey of 5,500 California households.

According to the EDD, nonfarm jobs in California totaled 16,258,000 in November, an increase of 5,500 jobs over the month, according to a survey of businesses that is larger and less variable statistically. The survey of 58,000 California businesses measures jobs in the economy. The year-over-year change, November 2014 to November 2015, shows an increase of 417,100 jobs (up 2.6 percent).

For the full statistical report from the EDD, click here.