MOSES LAKE - Fewer Grant County residents were without work this past May than in May 2012, according to the most recent unemployment figures released by the Employment Security Department.

About 3,560 residents were unemployed in May, compared to the 3,870 residents that were unemployed last May.

The county's unemployment rate was lower this past May compared to last May. The May 2013 unemployment rate of 8.6 percent, which is not seasonally adjusted, is about five-tenths of a percentage point below May 2012's unemployment rate of 9.1 percent.

May marked the 32nd consecutive month of year-over-year decreases, or of no changes, in the county's unemployment rate.

The county had an unemployment rate of 9.9 percent in May 2011, according to the data.

Regional Labor Economist Donald Meseck said the county gained about 240 non-farm jobs this May compared to last May. There were 26,850 non-farm jobs in May 2012 and 27,090 non-farm jobs this May.

While it isn't a big increase, the bigger picture shows a much more positive trend, he said.

With the exception of one month, Grant County's economy has posted year-over-year job growth since September 2010, he said. The exception was in September 2012, when the county had fewer non-farm jobs than in September 2011, said Meseck.

"Since September 2010, except for the one month, non-farm growth has been positive in Grant County," he said. "That's a good trend."

Meseck said job growth at the state level is following a similar path.

"By comparison, the state labor market has been growing for 32 months, from October 2010 through this May," he said.

There were about 2.9 million non-farm jobs across the state this May, compared to 2.8 million non-farm jobs in May 2012. According to the data, this equates to a 2.1 percent over-the-year statewide employment increase.

Meseck said agricultural jobs in the area also increased this May compared to last May. According to the Agricultural Employment Labor and Wages report for May 2013, agricultural jobs rose 17.1 percent over the year in the Columbia Basin Area 4.

Columbia Basin Area 4 is an agricultural reporting area that includes Grant and Adams counties, he said.

The area had about 10,770 agricultural jobs in May 2012 and 12,610 in May 2013, according to the report.

Although the reporting area includes Adams County, Meseck said about 80 percent of the jobs are in Grant County.

Meseck said the June and July reports might show a decrease in year-over-year agricultural employment due to weather conditions that affected some of the area's crops.

"The cherry harvest this year is below last year, it's been a slow season for cherries," he said. Recent rain also affected hay growers in the region, said Meseck.