Sierra Madre Unemployment Among Lowest in Los Angeles County

Sierra Madre, with the fourth lowest unemployment rate in Los Angeles County, is faring far better than even some of its closest neighbors, according to California's state labor division. The division's report released in mid November capped Sierra Madre's unemployment at 3.8 percent illustrating a massive contrast from other Los Angeles cities like Florence in South L.A., which tapped out at a grim 24 percent.

The average unemployment rate for Los Angeles County is 12.5 percent, according to the report released by California's Employment Development Department on November 19. Sierra Madre came in behind only Vernon, with a rate of zero percent, Rolling Hills, at just over 2 percent and Palos Verdes at 2.9 percent. 

Sierra Madre's official website listed a rate of 1.7, but city officials could not provide a date for when that number had last been updated or when it would be revised.

"There is a general concern from residents about vacant business spaces," said Danny Castro, Sierra Madre's Director of Development Services. "But it's a challenging time regionally and Sierra Madre wants to maintain the small local shops and the city's charm," Castro said.

Just to the south, the city of Arcadia has an unemployment rate of just over 7 percent. Pasadena to the west was listed at 9.6 percent, according to the report.  Monrovia, Sierra Madre's neighbor to the east is the highest of the group at 11 percent, much close to the county and state averages.

Bill Coburn, Executive Director for said that he wasn't the right person to offer comment on the current state of or the outlook for the unemployed within the city.

"I'm here to promote Sierra Madre businesses," Coburn said in reference to his position running the Chamber of Commerce. "We don't really have a lot to do with whether or not the city's residents are employed or not."

Citing the city's business atmosphere of small, local shops, Coburn compared the Sierra Madre to other cities with a larger industrial sector which provides more jobs within the city limits.

"Other cities like El Monte have industry that can employ more local residents," Coburn said.