THE JOBLESS rate in Orange County dropped from 3.2 percent in January 2017 to 3.1 percent in February 2018.

Unemployment in Orange County dropped in February from 3.2 percent to 3.1 percent in January, according to a report issued Friday by the state Employment Development Department.

That compares to a rate of 3.8 percent in February 2017. For the whole state, California has a 4.5 percent jobless rate, while the nation’s unemployment stood at 4.4 percent.

Between January 2018 and February 2018, employment showed an increase of 6,300 jobs in Orange County. The biggest growth came in government hiring, an addition of 4,500 jobs. Most of that came in local government education as workers returned after the winter holiday.

Educational and health services added 2,200 jobs, followed by manufacturing with 1,700 jobs.

On the other side of the ledger, 3,800 jobs were lost in the category of trade, transportation and utilities, the decline coming mostly in the retail trades due to seasonal cutbacks in holiday season employment.