04/12/2025

Job Reports

March 2016

Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Eases to 5.4%; Total Employment Rises 46,300 State Employment Growth Rankings Labor Force Participation Rate Unchanged at 62.0% Nonfarm Jobs Increase 4,200 Seven Industries Below 2007 Pre-Recession Job Levels 12 Counties Remain in Double-Digit Unemployment; 16 are 5% or Less Two-Tier Economy Persists 8 California MSAs in the 10 Worst Unemployment Rates Nationally All data used in this month’s report reflects the March 2015 benchmark revisions recently released by EDD and BLS, and labor force data for all geographic areas in the Center’s Data Tool and Indicators has been updated as well. These revisions affect previously reported data and related estimates beginning in 2010.

Read More

February 2016

Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Declines to 5.5%; Total Employment Grows 62,400 Nonfarm Jobs Increase 39,900 Two-Tier Economy Persists

Read More

January 2016

Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Declines to 5.7%; Total Employment Grows 52,400 Nonfarm Jobs Decrease 1,500 13 Counties in Double-Digit Unemployment; 13 are 5% or Less Two-Tier Economy Persists Annual Data Revisions

Read More

December 2015

Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Up Slightly to 5.8%; Total Employment Little Changed at -9,800 Labor Force Participation Rate Unchanged Nonfarm Jobs Increase 60,400 Six Industries Below 2007 Pre-Recession Job Levels 12 Counties in Double-Digit Unemployment; 12 are 5% or Less Two-Tier Economy Persists Bay Area Continues to Dominate Employment Growth Number of Latino and Asian Employers Increased by About One-Third from 2002 Data revisions

Read More

November 2015

Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Declines to 5.7%; Total Employment Rises 10,900 State Employment Growth Rankings Labor Force Participation Rate Declines to 62.0%–Another New Low Nonfarm Jobs Increase 5,500 Four Industries Remain Below 2007 Pre-Recession Job Levels Six Counties Remain in Double-Digit Unemployment; 12 are 5% or Less Two-Tier Economy Persists Bay Area Continues to Dominate Employment Growth

Read More

October 2015

Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Declines to 5.8%; Total Employment Rises 15,400 State Employment Growth Rankings Labor Force Participation Rate Declines to 62.1%–Another New Low Nonfarm Jobs Increase 41,200 Six Industries Remain Below 2007 Pre-Recession Job Levels Three Counties in Double-Digit Unemployment; One-Quarter are 5% or Less Six California MSAs in Nation’s 10 Worst Unemployment Rates Two-Tier Economy Persists Bay Area Continues to Dominate Employment Growth Per Capita Personal Income Up 3.9% in 2014

Read More

September 2015

Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Declines to 5.9%; Total Employment Rises 11,900 State Employment Growth Rankings Labor Force Participation Rate Declines to 62.2%–Lowest Point Since 1976 Nonfarm Jobs Increase 8,200 6 Industries Remain Below 2007 Pre-Recession Job Levels 1 County Remains in Double-Digit Unemployment; One-Third are 5% or Less 7 California MSAs in Nation’s 10 Worst Unemployment Rates Two-Tier Economy Persists Bay Area Continues to Dominate Employment Growth

Read More

August 2015

Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Declines to 6.1%; Total Employment Rises 12,200 State Employment Growth Rankings Labor Force Participation Rate Declines to 62.3% Nonfarm Jobs Increase 36,300 6 Industries Remain Below 2007 Pre-Recession Job Levels 3 Counties Remain in Double-Digit Unemployment, 12 are 5% or Less 9 California MSAs in Nation’s 10 Worst Unemployment Rates Two-Tier Economy Persists

Read More

July 2015

Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Declines to 6.3%; Total Employment Climbs 35,000 State Employment Growth Rankings Labor Force Participation Rate Remains at 62.5% Nonfarm Jobs Increase 22,900 7 Industries Remain Below 2007 Pre-Recession Job Levels 6 Counties Remain in Double-Digit Unemployment, Down from 7 in May Two-Tier Economy Persists

Read More

June 2015

Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Increases to 6.4%; Total Employment Climbs 59,100 State Employment Growth Rankings Labor Force Participation Rate Increases to 62.5% Nonfarm Jobs Increase 54,200 6 Industries Remain Below 2007 Pre-Recession Job Levels 7 Counties Remain in Double-Digit Unemployment, Down from 10 in April Two-Tier Economy Persists Two-Tier Economy by Demographic Group Two-Tier Economy by Demographic Group: Ethnicity/Race Two-Tier Economy by Demographic Group: Age

Read More

April 2015

Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Declines to 6.3%; Total Employment Climbs 42,600 Labor Force Participation Rate Remains at 62.3%, Matching Previous Low in 1976 Nonfarm Jobs Increase 29,500 6 Industries Remain Below 2007 Pre-Recession Job Levels 10 Counties Remain in Double-Digit Unemployment, Down from 15 in March Two-Tier Economy Persists; Inland Empire Moves Up

Read More

March 2015

Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Declines to 6.5%; Total Employment Climbs 45,300 Labor Force Participation Rate Drops to 62.3%, Matching Previous Low in 1976 Nonfarm Jobs Increase 39,800 7 Industries Remain Below 2007 Pre-Recession Job Levels 16 Counties Remain in Double-Digit Unemployment, Down from 20 in February Two-Tier Economy Persists

Read More

February 2015

Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Declines to 6.7%; Total Employment Climbs 48.000 Nonfarm Jobs Increase 29,400 One in Five Remain Employed in Part Time Work Jobs Growth Adjusted for Population Near National Average 7 Industries Remain Below 2007 Pre-Recession Job Levels 20 Counties Remain in Double-Digit Unemployment, Up from a Revised 22 in January Wage Growth in Q3 2014 Two-Tier Economy Persists Data Revisions and Updates

Read More

January 2015

Highlights for policy makers: EDD Data Revisions Unemployment Rate Declines to 6.9%; Total Employment Climbs 54,000 Nonfarm Jobs Increase 53,100 Effect of EDD’s Job Revisions 21 Counties Remain in Double-Digit Unemployment, Up from a Revised 17 in December Two-Tier Economy Persists Data Revisions and Updates

Read More

December 2014

Highlights for policy makers: Unemployment Rate Declines to 7.0%; Total Employment Climbs 40,000 Labor Force Participation Rate Stays Level but Remains at 1976 Levels One in Five Employed are in Part Time Work Nonfarm Jobs Increase 700 Jobs Growth Adjusted for Population Near National Average 6 Industries Remain Below 2007 Pre-Recession Job Levels 15 Counties Remain in Double-Digit Unemployment, Up from 12 in November Two-Tier Economy Persists Data Revisions and Updates

Read More