job seekersThe Bay Area gained 13,100 jobs in October, state officials announced Friday, extending a pattern of strong growth throughout the year and keeping the region in the forefront of employment expansion in California.

Employment gains in the nine-county Bay Area last month accounted for one-third of the 38,900 jobs created statewide, this newspaper’s analysis of the numbers released by the state’s Employment Development Department show.

“The Bay Area is carrying the California recovery,” said Stephen Levy, director of the Palo Alto-based Center for Continuing Study of the California Economy. “Without the Bay Area, California would be lagging the nation’s job recovery.”

Contact George Avalos at 408-859-5167. Follow him at Twitter.com/georgeavalos.