SAN DIEGO (CNS) - San Diego County's unemployment rate last month was 4.7 percent, unchanged from the prior month but below the 4.9 percent recorded in the same period last year, the state Employment Development Department reported today.

San Diego's rate compared to 5.4 percent for California and 4.5 percent for the U.S. as a whole. Neither the state nor national figures are seasonally adjusted.

"Across our region, the unemployment rate held steady," said Phil Blair, president and CEO of the staffing firm Manpower San Diego. "Job growth in real estate and construction continue to lead San Diego's economic expansion."

For the month, job gains were led by the retail sector, which added 1,300 positions. Around 900 specialty contractor jobs were added.

Employment in food services and bars declined by 900, according to the EDD.

Over the past year, the largest job increases were a seasonal hike in local government education, 2,800 positions; ambulatory health care services, 2,500; religious, civic and professional organizations, 2,200; personal services, 2,000; and real estate, rental and leasing, 2,000.

The agency said job losses over the past year occurred in the manufacturing of durable goods, 1,400; and transportation and warehousing, 1,200.

San Diego County's unemployment rate was the 14th lowest statewide.

San Mateo County's was the lowest at 3.2 percent, while Imperial's continued to be the worst at a staggering 24.9 percent, according to the EDD.

Within San Diego County, the lowest rate was 0.5 percent in Del Mar, while the highest was 8.4 percent in Bostonia, an unincorporated section of El Cajon. The rate was also high in Imperial Beach, at 7.3 percent.

In the city of San Diego, unemployment was at a 4.5 percent rate.

In August, 74,200 San Diegans were without work in a civilian labor force of nearly 1.6 million people, according to the EDD. The total number of jobless was 3,600 fewer than the same month last year.