Actually Los Angeles County's unemployment rate was only .6 percent higher than Santa Clara County (12.6% vs 12%). San Francisco does a little better at 10.1% but it's still above the national average (see here: http://www.google.com/publicdata?ds=usunemployment&met=u...)
In reality California's unemployment rate gets dragged up by the smaller counties in the extreme north and south. For example, Imperial County (which borders Mexico) has a 28.7% unemployment rate while Shasta County (about 40 miles or so south of Oregon) has a 15.2%
In reality California's unemployment rate gets dragged up by the smaller counties in the extreme north and south. For example, Imperial County (which borders Mexico) has a 28.7% unemployment rate while Shasta County (about 40 miles or so south of Oregon) has a 15.2%