East Bay job market was area's strongest in 2005

East Bay job market was area's strongest in 2005: "











Posted on Fri, Jan. 20, 2006



East Bay job market was area's strongest in 2005

By George Avalos
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

The East Bay capped off 2005 with its strongest annual job growth since before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and ended the year as the most robust employment market in the Bay Area.
The East Bay accounted for about 60 percent of all the new jobs created in the Bay Area during 2005.
The state Employment Development Department released data today that shows the East Bay added 22,700 jobs over the 12 months that ended in December.
That equates to a 2.2 percent annual rate of job growth -- faster growth than any other region of the Bay Area, including the rapidly expanding Solano County, according to a Times analysis of the EDD data.
It was also the quickest rate of job growth for the East Bay since April 2001, when the region managed a 2.3 percent annual gain in jobs. The Bay Area also experienced its fastest annual rate of job growth since April 2001.


George Avalos covers the economy, financial markets, insurance and banks. You can reach him at 925-977-8477 or gavalos@cctimes.com.







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