The latest unemployment numbers for the Tri-Counties showed their widest variation between counties in years.
Ventura County held steady at 4.7% in November and December.
But, Santa Barbara County showed a major spike. The county went from a 3.9% jobless rate in November to 4.5% in December. And, unemployment in San Luis Obispo County actually dropped, moving from 3.5% to 3.2% month to month.
The statewide jobless figure is up a full percent from a year ago. It stood at 4.1% in December of 2022, but ended up at 5.1% in December of 2023.
