Unemployment drops to 6.1% in state, Bay Area has lowest rates

California’s unemployment ­­rate fell to 6.1 percent in August from 6.2 percent in July and from 7.4 percent in August 2014, the Employment Development Department reported Friday. By comparison, the U.S. unemployment rate was 5.1 percent in August. The state and national unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted. The number of nonfarm payroll jobs statewide increased by