Holiday hiring helped hold Santa Clarita’s unemployment rate at 4.5 percent in November, even with October.

The real story is in the comparison to last November’s 5.7 percent.

The biggest year-over-year difference across Los Angeles County was the 22,900 new positions that were added in the private education and health services sector – most of them (19,000) in health services and social assistance – coinciding with the rollout of the Affordable Care Act.

No. 2 were professional and business services, which grew by 21,800 jobs. Of those, 11,000 administrative and support and waste services jobs were created, plus 7,800 in professional, scientific and technical services.

The leisure and hospitality sector grew by 10,200 jobs over the year. Growth in the accommodations and food services subsectors was partially offset by declines in the arts, entertainment and recreation.

L.A. County’s year-over-year losers were manufacturing (down 10,500), government (down 3,300) and mining and logging (down 100).

For the month (Nov. 1 to Nov. 30), retail trade grew by a net 14,600 positions as stores added staff for the holiday season.

But the construction trades also grew more than normal, adding 4,300 jobs during November.

Los Angeles County’s November unemployment rate of 8 percent was unchanged from October and a 1.4-point improvement on the year.

California’s rate fell to 7.2 percent from 7.3 percent in October and 8.4 percent one year earlier.

The nation’s jobless rate was estimated at 5.8 percent in November, even with October and a 1.2 percent improvement on the year.