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California Economy
Unemployment was 5.1% in Sep 2026, the 49th lowest of 51 states. Personal income averages $86,232 per person.
- Unemployment rate
- 5.1%
- -0.4 pts in a year
- Labor force
- 19,477,984
- -1.9% in a year
- Income per person
- $86,232
- BEA, 2024
- Average annual pay
- $96,963
- QCEW, 2025
Unemployment rate in California
Monthly, seasonally adjusted, compared with the U.S.
Show as a table
| Period | California |
|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 5.1% |
| Dec 2025 | 5.5% |
| Dec 2024 | 5.4% |
| Dec 2023 | 5.1% |
| Dec 2022 | 4.4% |
| Dec 2021 | 5.4% |
| Dec 2020 | 9.0% |
| Dec 2019 | 4.1% |
| Dec 2018 | 4.3% |
| Dec 2017 | 4.5% |
| Dec 2016 | 5.4% |
| Dec 2015 | 5.7% |
| Dec 2014 | 6.9% |
| Dec 2013 | 8.4% |
| Dec 2012 | 9.7% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics ยท Last updated 09/01/2026
Counties in California
Unemployment (Sep 2026, not seasonally adjusted), income per person (BEA) and average pay (QCEW). Largest labor force first.
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | County | Unemployment | 1 year | Labor force | Income per person | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles County | 4.5% | -1.4 pts | 5,031,013 | $83,888 | $86,080 |
| 2 | San Diego County | 4.9% | -0.2 pts | 1,639,952 | $84,312 | $85,402 |
| 3 | Orange County | 4.4% | -0.2 pts | 1,601,928 | $94,034 | $84,864 |
| 4 | Riverside County | 6.2% | -0.1 pts | 1,183,558 | $56,404 | $61,100 |
| 5 | Santa Clara County | 4.3% | -0.3 pts | 1,034,313 | $157,620 | $211,900 |
| 6 | San Bernardino County | 5.7% | -0.3 pts | 1,020,577 | $53,991 | $63,749 |
| 7 | Alameda County | 4.9% | -0.2 pts | 855,567 | $111,268 | $101,979 |
| 8 | Sacramento County | 5.3% | -0.2 pts | 781,647 | $69,693 | $82,003 |
| 9 | Contra Costa County | 5.0% | -0.2 pts | 574,198 | $108,259 | $87,200 |
| 10 | San Francisco County | 4.2% | -0.3 pts | 499,080 | $171,497 | $196,352 |
| 11 | Fresno County | 7.8% | -0.2 pts | 471,858 | $57,584 | $60,417 |
| 12 | Ventura County | 5.0% | -0.3 pts | 414,414 | $82,558 | $72,148 |
| 13 | Kern County | 8.4% | -0.3 pts | 414,048 | $50,641 | $61,737 |
| 14 | San Mateo County | 4.0% | -0.3 pts | 408,396 | $179,656 | $214,295 |
| 15 | San Joaquin County | 6.5% | -0.3 pts | 369,744 | $63,017 | $63,964 |
| 16 | Stanislaus County | 7.0% | -0.1 pts | 253,234 | $56,741 | $64,812 |
| 17 | Sonoma County | 4.5% | -0.3 pts | 246,044 | $88,832 | $73,248 |
| 18 | Monterey County | 5.7% | -0.1 pts | 228,350 | $74,175 | $63,594 |
| 19 | Santa Barbara County | 4.6% | -0.2 pts | 224,010 | $88,347 | $73,064 |
| 20 | Solano County | 5.5% | -0.2 pts | 216,591 | $67,744 | $73,494 |
| 21 | Tulare County | 10.4% | -0.2 pts | 215,947 | $53,098 | $54,792 |
| 22 | Placer County | 4.5% | -0.2 pts | 207,510 | $87,751 | $75,824 |
| 23 | Santa Cruz County | 5.3% | -0.3 pts | 138,998 | $93,580 | $70,123 |
| 24 | San Luis Obispo County | 4.7% | -0.2 pts | 132,285 | $77,564 | $64,561 |
| 25 | Marin County | 4.4% | -0.2 pts | 122,695 | $190,891 | $94,975 |
All 58 counties, A to Z
- Alameda County
- Alpine County
- Amador County
- Butte County
- Calaveras County
- Colusa County
- Contra Costa County
- Del Norte County
- El Dorado County
- Fresno County
- Glenn County
- Humboldt County
- Imperial County
- Inyo County
- Kern County
- Kings County
- Lake County
- Lassen County
- Los Angeles County
- Madera County
- Marin County
- Mariposa County
- Mendocino County
- Merced County
- Modoc County
- Mono County
- Monterey County
- Napa County
- Nevada County
- Orange County
- Placer County
- Plumas County
- Riverside County
- Sacramento County
- San Benito County
- San Bernardino County
- San Diego County
- San Francisco County
- San Joaquin County
- San Luis Obispo County
- San Mateo County
- Santa Barbara County
- Santa Clara County
- Santa Cruz County
- Shasta County
- Sierra County
- Siskiyou County
- Solano County
- Sonoma County
- Stanislaus County
- Sutter County
- Tehama County
- Trinity County
- Tulare County
- Tuolumne County
- Ventura County
- Yolo County
- Yuba County
Metro areas in California
Unemployment rate and labor force, not seasonally adjusted
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Metro area | Unemployment | 1 year | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 4.8% | -1.0 pts | 6,592,371 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 4.6% | -0.3 pts | 2,459,936 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 5.9% | -0.3 pts | 2,204,135 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 4.9% | -0.2 pts | 1,639,952 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 5.2% | -0.2 pts | 1,190,939 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 4.3% | -0.4 pts | 1,069,363 |
| Fresno, CA | 7.8% | -0.1 pts | 542,284 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 5.0% | -0.3 pts | 414,414 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 8.4% | -0.3 pts | 414,048 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 6.5% | -0.3 pts | 369,744 |
| Modesto, CA | 7.0% | -0.1 pts | 253,234 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 4.5% | -0.3 pts | 246,044 |
| Salinas, CA | 5.7% | -0.1 pts | 228,350 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 4.6% | -0.2 pts | 224,010 |
| Vallejo, CA | 5.5% | -0.2 pts | 216,591 |
| Visalia, CA | 10.4% | -0.2 pts | 215,947 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 5.3% | -0.3 pts | 138,998 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 4.7% | -0.2 pts | 132,285 |
| Merced, CA | 8.9% | -0.5 pts | 121,939 |
| Chico, CA | 6.2% | -0.2 pts | 89,651 |
| Yuba City, CA | 7.1% | -0.3 pts | 82,140 |
| Redding, CA | 5.3% | -0.2 pts | 81,604 |
| El Centro, CA | 21.9% | -0.1 pts | 76,269 |
| Napa, CA | 4.3% | -0.2 pts | 73,990 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 8.5% | -0.1 pts | 59,867 |
Jobs and pay by industry in California
Private employers, annual average 2025 (Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages)
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| Industry | Jobs | 1-year change | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 2,960,566 | +5.5% | $66,430 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,657,786 | -0.6% | $36,516 |
| Retail trade | 1,567,097 | -1.2% | $50,515 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,387,587 | -1.5% | $183,465 |
| Manufacturing | 1,215,887 | -2.5% | $132,063 |
| Administrative and support services | 1,079,270 | -1.0% | $64,519 |
| Construction | 892,415 | -2.3% | $93,334 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 747,702 | -0.6% | $78,732 |
| Wholesale trade | 641,050 | -2.7% | $113,428 |
| Other services | 571,112 | -0.1% | $55,959 |
| Information | 523,470 | -2.7% | $330,271 |
| Finance and insurance | 487,524 | -1.6% | $187,803 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 393,200 | -4.3% | $46,090 |
| Educational services | 381,748 | +2.5% | $68,791 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 352,580 | +1.3% | $70,964 |
| Real estate and rental | 302,382 | -1.5% | $91,135 |
| Management of companies | 289,743 | +0.8% | $227,442 |
| Utilities | 67,307 | +0.4% | $177,477 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 16,285 | -1.3% | $158,423 |
Government employs 2,672,103 people (14.7% of all jobs): 247,845 federal, 533,334 state and 1,890,924 local.
Output and businesses in California
Bureau of Economic Analysis and Census Bureau
- GDP
- $4.05T
- 2024, current dollars
- Real GDP growth
- +3.2%
- Adjusted for inflation
- Employer businesses
- 1,029,689
- 16,405,436 employees
- Professional and technical services143,86314.0%
- Health care and social assistance132,34512.9%
- Retail trade106,67510.4%
- Accommodation and food services95,9529.3%
- Construction86,7638.4%
- Other services83,4078.1%
- Real estate and rental65,0366.3%
- Wholesale trade54,6715.3%
- Finance and insurance49,1654.8%
- Administrative and support services48,7244.7%
Federal money in California
Federal awards, pandemic loans and political donations
Frequently asked questions
- What is the unemployment rate in California?
- California's unemployment rate was 5.1% in Sep 2026, seasonally adjusted, compared with 4.2% for the U.S.
- Which county in California has the highest unemployment?
- Imperial County has the highest rate at 21.9%, and San Mateo County has the lowest at 4.0% (not seasonally adjusted).
- What is the largest industry in California?
- Health care and social assistance is the largest private employer with 2,960,566 jobs, followed by accommodation and food services (1,657,786) and retail trade (1,567,097).
- What is the average salary in California?
- The average annual pay for jobs covered by unemployment insurance in California was $96,963 in 2025, or $1,865 a week.
- How big is California's economy?
- California's GDP was $4.05T in 2024, about $102,662 per resident.