According to the Employment Development Department, the unemployment rate in Kern Co. dropped to 8.2% in July, down from 8.7% in June.

The state’s rate is 4.4%, and the national average is 4.1%.

Kern County added 5,000 jobs from last July to this July, up to 325,800 total.

The biggest gain (percentage-wise) was in “Department Stores” under retail at 10.5% from July 2017 to 2018.

From June to July, the biggest loser was “Local Government Education” at 19.5%; from 30,200 to 24,300.