O.C. Jobless Rate Inches Down to 8.5%

Orange County's unemployment rate continued its downward trend in October, hitting 8.5 percent, according to the California Employment Development Department.

That's an 0.1 percent drop from , and below the year-ago estimate of 9.3 percent (both unadjusted for seasonal fluctuations) for Orange County.

Government jobs notched up the largest month-over increase with a gain of 6,800 jobs.

"Local government employment climbed ... primarily due to continuing seasonal gains in local government education following the summer recess," according to a report released Friday by the state employment department.

Jobs also grew in the professional and business services arena and in educational and health services, the state's preliminary estimates show.

The largest month-over losses were recorded in the leisure and hospitality industry "as employment cutbacks continued in the aftermath of the summer tourist season," said the report. The leisure and hospitality sector, however, also reported the largest year-over increase in Orange County, with more than 85 percent of the growth in accommodation and food services since October 2010.

Comparatively, the estimated unemployment rate (also unadjusted) was 11.2 percent for California and 8.5 percent for the nation for October.