Blame it on the continued housing slump.

State employment officials are.

Coos County’s unemployment rate jumped from 6.4 to 7.0 percent in November, as construction and manufacturing employment fell. This was combined with jobs lost in leisure and hospitality industries. Curry County saw fewer jobs in construction and leisure and hospitality as well, contributing to the loss of 140 payroll positions.

The loss of construction, manufacturing and leisure and hospitality jobs in Coos County was eased by a jump in local government education and in retail trade employment, but the county’s unemployment rate still rose because of the losses.

According to a press release from WorkSource Oregon, a statewide public and private partnership devoted to stimulating job growth, Coos County decreased its payroll employment by 240 in November. But there were 60 fewer employed residents compared to October, resulting in a 7.0 percent unemployment rate. In Curry County, the unemployment rate jumped nearly a full percentage point, from 6.2 to 7.0, in the same period of time.

Compared to Oregon’s other 36 counties, Coos County tied for the third-highest unemployment rate for November with Curry and Klamath counties. Douglas (7.8) and Josephine, Jefferson and Lake (tied for second at 7.3) had higher levels of unemployment.

The state’s unemployment rate in November was calculated at 5.2 percent, while the national rate was 4.5 percent.

According to the release, Coos County lost 50 jobs in construction and wood products manufacturing lost 10, though these losses were countered by 200 jobs in local government education. Other industries’ changes included:

n leisure and hospitality employment went down by 80;

n professional and business service jobs lost 30; and

n trade, transportation and utilities gained 20 posts.

In Coos County, over the past year:

n educational and health services added 160 jobs;

n leisure and hospitality gained 110 jobs; and

n manufacturing lost 20 jobs.

In Curry County, the only industry to post gains between October and November were local government, which created 20 jobs and retail trade, which added 10 jobs. Construction lost 70 and leisure and hospitality lost 80.

Over the year, construction employment fell by 130, as did wood products manufacturing (-20), retail trade (-10) and government (-100).

These losses were tempered by gains in professional and business services (+30) and health care (+40).

Check out additional Coos and Curry economic statistics, trends and data at http://www.qualityinfo.org.