South Coast Jobless Rates, Jan. 28

The unemployment rate for the five complete counties along the Oregon Coast improved between November and December of 2013. According to information released by the Oregon Employment Dept., all of the figures were also significantly less than the previous year. In Coos Co. the rate was 9.2% in December, down from 9.5% in November and more than a percentage point less than the 10.5% recorded in December 2012. Curry Co. continues to have the highest jobless rate at 10%. However, that is slightly less than the 10.2% in November, and also more than a percentage point down from the 11.2% of the previous year. Lincoln Co. had a rate of 7.5%, less than the 7.7% in November, and far below the 8.7% in December of 2012. Tillamook Co. recorded a 6.3% rate last month, less than the 6.6% the prior month, and down one-and-a-half percent from the 7.8% the previous December. Clatsop Co. continues to have the lowest unemployment rate on the coast at 6.1%. Like the others, down slightly from November, but more than a percentage point off the 7.4% in December 2012.