The unemployment rate in Riverside County declined marginally through the winter season amid a mix of payroll losses and gains, according to figures released Friday by the California Employment Development Department.

The countywide jobless rate in February, based on preliminary EDD estimates, was 5.4%, compared to 5.5% in January.

According to figures, the February rate was two-tenths of a percentage point above the year-ago level, when countywide unemployment stood at 5.2%.

EDD posted the data outside of its usual schedule due to an annual statistical revision process done in concert with the U.S. Department of Labor known as “benchmarking,” which is intended to improve accuracy of results. The process will wrap up toward the end of the month, at which point jobless numbers will be fully updated.

The latest agency estimates indicated that Cherry Valley had the highest unemployment rate within the county in February at 10%, followed by Blythe at 9.8%, Coachella at 8.1%, Rancho Mirage at 7.9% and March Air Reserve Base at 7.8%

The combined unemployment rate for Riverside and San Bernardino counties — the Inland Empire — was 5.3%, down from 5.4% in January, the EDD stated.

Bi-county data indicated that payrolls contracted by the widest margin in the broad category designated trade, transportation and utilities, where 7,700 positions were lost, mainly in logistics and warehousing.

Additional losses were recorded in the agricultural, financial services, health services, manufacturing and public sectors, which altogether shed an aggregate 7,000 positions, figures showed.

Payroll gains were recorded in the construction, hospitality and professional business services sectors, which expanded by a total 1,500 jobs, while miscellaneous unclassified industries added another 100.

The mining and information technology sectors were unchanged.

The statewide non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in February was 5.5%.

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