Employment trends in the San Francisco Bay Area want to improve. The labor force has stabilized over the past 12 months and employment has steadily grown (with a slowing rate of growth, however). The January 2014 unemployment rate for the Bay Area of 6.2% is considerably better than the statewide figure of 8.1%. The state continues to see mixed job growth with some sectors improving while others decline. By example, within the state, jobs in manufacturing; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; and other services grew while the construction trade; transportation and utilities; information; leisure and hospitality; and government sectors lost jobs. On a percentage basis, Napa County saw the largest growth in labor force and employment followed by the urban counties along the coast with Sonoma and Solano Counties showing the least improvement. Job growth seems to be related most closely with the tech industries. Napa is recovering on a larger percentage basis because it had fallen so far. Overall, the market seems a little mixed, but we all want to see it improve on a consistent basis. (See the SF Bay Area Employment Page above for the latest table.)