Counties with the highest unemployment rate in California

Written by:
November 15, 2022
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Counties with the highest unemployment rate in California

Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, notably as bandy around the idea of a by 2023. The last economic recession鈥攖he Great Recession of 2008-2010鈥攕ent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.

As of October of this year, national unemployment is at 3.7%, 0.2% higher than in September. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate , ranging from just 2.0% in Minnesota, to 4.5% in Illinois and 4.7% in the District of Columbia. Further breakdown by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows yet another county-based spectrum within each state.

To that end, compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rate in California using data from the . Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in September 2022.

#58. San Mateo County

- Current unemployment rate: 1.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 456,969 (8,898 unemployed)

#57. San Francisco

- Current unemployment rate: 2.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -2.0%
- Total labor force: 577,441 (12,192 unemployed)

#56. Santa Clara County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
- Total labor force: 1,057,241 (22,390 unemployed)

#55. Marin County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
- Total labor force: 130,393 (2,807 unemployed)

#54. Placer County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 193,213 (4,868 unemployed)

#53. San Luis Obispo County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
- Total labor force: 137,505 (3,384 unemployed)

#52. Sierra County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
- Total labor force: 1,417 (36 unemployed)

#51. Sonoma County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
- Total labor force: 250,797 (6,366 unemployed)

#50. Napa County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
- Total labor force: 70,669 (1,855 unemployed)

#49. Nevada County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
- Total labor force: 48,584 (1,317 unemployed)

#48. Orange County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -2.3%
- Total labor force: 1,603,801 (43,764 unemployed)

#47. Santa Barbara County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 226,433 (6,053 unemployed)

#46. El Dorado County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -2.0%
- Total labor force: 93,036 (2,562 unemployed)

#45. Inyo County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
- Total labor force: 8,393 (236 unemployed)

#44. Alameda County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -2.2%
- Total labor force: 830,392 (23,864 unemployed)

#43. Calaveras County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 22,199 (653 unemployed)

#42. Contra Costa County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -2.2%
- Total labor force: 554,742 (17,023 unemployed)

#41. Mendocino County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 38,198 (1,195 unemployed)

#40. San Diego County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -2.3%
- Total labor force: 1,584,822 (48,605 unemployed)

#39. Yolo County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 109,010 (3,392 unemployed)

#38. Humboldt County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 60,833 (1,960 unemployed)

#37. Lassen County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 9,227 (297 unemployed)

#36. Ventura County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
- Total labor force: 413,694 (13,498 unemployed)

#35. Mono County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
- Total labor force: 8,756 (295 unemployed)

#34. Santa Cruz County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
- Total labor force: 137,579 (4,722 unemployed)

#33. Trinity County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
- Total labor force: 4,561 (156 unemployed)

#32. Sacramento County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -2.4%
- Total labor force: 726,207 (25,707 unemployed)

#31. Modoc County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
- Total labor force: 3,268 (119 unemployed)

#30. Butte County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 93,445 (3,492 unemployed)

#29. Mariposa County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
- Total labor force: 7,473 (274 unemployed)

#28. Amador County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -2.0%
- Total labor force: 14,530 (551 unemployed)

#27. San Bernardino County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -2.6%
- Total labor force: 1,020,341 (38,960 unemployed)

#26. Shasta County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 72,377 (2,783 unemployed)

#25. Solano County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -2.5%
- Total labor force: 201,406 (7,695 unemployed)

#24. Tuolumne County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 19,953 (754 unemployed)

#23. San Benito County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 33,063 (1,299 unemployed)

#22. Monterey County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 219,617 (8,884 unemployed)

#21. Riverside County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -2.4%
- Total labor force: 1,166,597 (46,122 unemployed)

#20. Tehama County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 26,227 (1,059 unemployed)

#19. Lake County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 29,104 (1,232 unemployed)

#18. Del Norte County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
- Total labor force: 9,593 (413 unemployed)

#17. Siskiyou County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
- Total labor force: 16,755 (728 unemployed)

#16. Plumas County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -2.8%
- Total labor force: 7,826 (347 unemployed)

#15. Glenn County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 12,745 (570 unemployed)

#14. Los Angeles County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -3.1%
- Total labor force: 4,942,325 (220,867 unemployed)

#13. Stanislaus County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 241,208 (11,509 unemployed)

#12. San Joaquin County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -2.4%
- Total labor force: 338,361 (16,416 unemployed)

#11. Yuba County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 31,065 (1,521 unemployed)

#10. Alpine County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -3.7%
- Total labor force: 457 (23 unemployed)

#9. Madera County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
- Total labor force: 63,269 (3,264 unemployed)

#8. Sutter County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 45,944 (2,432 unemployed)

#7. Fresno County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -2.2%
- Total labor force: 455,311 (24,764 unemployed)

#6. Kings County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -2.0%
- Total labor force: 56,252 (3,241 unemployed)

#5. Merced County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -2.0%
- Total labor force: 119,118 (7,193 unemployed)

#4. Kern County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -2.2%
- Total labor force: 392,678 (24,199 unemployed)

#3. Colusa County

- Current unemployment rate: 7.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 11,441 (798 unemployed)

#2. Tulare County

- Current unemployment rate: 7.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 205,963 (15,378 unemployed)

#1. Imperial County

- Current unemployment rate: 16.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 70,455 (11,285 unemployed)

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