The Inland Empire’s unemployment rate declined in the latest state labor report as employers across the region added jobs in several major industries.
The improvement was reflected across Riverside and San Bernardino counties, where hiring gains helped lower the number of residents counted as unemployed. The new figures point to continued demand for workers in parts of the regional economy, particularly in fields tied to education and health services, hospitality, government, construction, and trade-related work.
Labor data for the Inland Empire is closely watched because the two-county area has one of Southern California’s largest workforces and includes major logistics, health care, retail, education and public-sector employers.
While the lower rate is a positive sign for job seekers, local economists and workforce officials typically caution that month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal hiring patterns, school schedules and shifts in consumer spending.
For communities in Riverside County, the report suggests that employers are still adding positions even as households continue to face pressure from housing, transportation and other living costs.
