Los Angeles County’s labor market continued to improve gradually, posting a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 6 percent in February, down from 6.1 percent in January and 6.7 percent a year ago.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment of 5.8 percent was unchanged over January and down from 6.4 percent a year ago, according to labor market data released today by the California Employment Development Department.

In total, the county added 30,300 non-farm jobs from January to February. Professional and business services, up 2.1 percent over last year, saw the largest year-over-year growth, adding 11,500 new jobs.

The greatest monthly gains, highly affected by seasonal hiring patterns at this time of year, were in education and health services, which employed 477,000 in February, up 2 percent over January.

Manufacturing, which employed 477,600 people in February, was up a half-percent over January, but was down 2 percent, or 9,900 jobs from last year. Apparel was up 2.8 percent to 62,600 jobs from January, but was down 9.7 percent from last year.

The information sector, which includes publishing, Internet and entertainment, employed 207,100 people in February, adding 4.1 percent, or 8,100 jobs since January. That sector was led by motion pictures and sound recording, gaining 6.7 percent or 128,500 jobs over January, when location shooting was slowed by heavy rains. It was down 4.8 percent from a year ago.

Trade, transportation, and utilities, which employed 774,300 people in February, lost 3,800 jobs, down a half percent from January. Growth in retail, which employed 399,300 people, was down 1.1 percent from January.