CA!JOBS=LAUS(06)
California: jobs and unemployment
Unemployment, employment and the labor force in California from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
BLS LAUSLatest month: September 2026
Unemployment, September 20265.1%#49 of 51 · #1 = lowest
Annual average, 20255.5%US 4.3%, weighted by labor force
Labor force, 202519.82M+0.7% on a year earlier
Employed, 202518.74M1,085,280 unemployed
Labor forceEmployed
| Year | Unemployment rate | Labor force | Employed | Unemployed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.5% | 19,823,761 | 18,738,481 | 1,085,280 | |
| 2024 | 5.3% | 19,692,824 | 18,650,672 | 1,042,152 | |
| 2023 | 4.7% | 19,514,618 | 18,593,621 | 920,997 | |
| 2022 | 4.3% | 19,267,435 | 18,441,358 | 826,077 | |
| 2021 | 7.3% | 19,013,818 | 17,619,280 | 1,394,538 | |
| 2020 | 10.1% | 18,956,579 | 17,039,764 | 1,916,815 | |
| 2019 | 4.1% | 19,420,103 | 18,621,924 | 798,179 | |
| 2018 | 4.3% | 19,306,520 | 18,485,264 | 821,256 | |
| 2017 | 4.8% | 19,205,136 | 18,278,266 | 926,870 | |
| 2016 | 5.5% | 19,045,018 | 17,996,065 | 1,048,953 | |
| 2015 | 6.2% | 18,846,616 | 17,670,862 | 1,175,754 | |
| 2014 | 7.6% | 18,697,592 | 17,282,882 | 1,414,710 | |
| 2013 | 9.0% | 18,584,214 | 16,905,505 | 1,678,709 | |
| 2012 | 10.4% | 18,478,740 | 16,557,964 | 1,920,776 | |
| 2011 | 11.7% | 18,357,603 | 16,202,933 | 2,154,670 | |
| 2010 | 12.3% | 18,363,548 | 16,096,140 | 2,267,408 | |
| 2009 | 11.5% | 18,430,785 | 16,317,811 | 2,112,974 | |
| 2008 | 7.3% | 18,367,359 | 17,034,912 | 1,332,447 | |
| 2007 | 5.3% | 18,068,852 | 17,105,398 | 963,454 | |
| 2006 | 4.9% | 17,785,989 | 16,918,800 | 867,189 | |
| 2005 | 5.4% | 17,635,649 | 16,685,793 | 949,856 | |
| 2004 | 6.2% | 17,450,100 | 16,363,423 | 1,086,677 | |
| 2003 | 6.9% | 17,331,617 | 16,137,031 | 1,194,586 | |
| 2002 | 6.7% | 17,295,533 | 16,128,261 | 1,167,272 | |
| 2001 | 5.5% | 17,145,262 | 16,208,523 | 936,739 | |
| 2000 | 4.9% | 16,869,946 | 16,039,834 | 830,112 | |
| 1999 | 5.3% | 16,430,357 | 15,565,149 | 865,208 | |
| 1998 | 6.0% | 16,163,190 | 15,200,563 | 962,627 | |
| 1997 | 6.4% | 15,800,889 | 14,789,607 | 1,011,282 | |
| 1996 | 7.3% | 15,419,501 | 14,286,433 | 1,133,068 | |
| 1995 | 7.9% | 15,249,647 | 14,045,239 | 1,204,408 | |
| 1994 | 8.7% | 15,253,915 | 13,931,925 | 1,321,990 | |
| 1993 | 9.5% | 15,258,822 | 13,804,138 | 1,454,684 | |
| 1992 | 9.4% | 15,314,767 | 13,878,519 | 1,436,248 | |
| 1991 | 7.8% | 15,127,433 | 13,946,660 | 1,180,773 | |
| 1990 | 5.8% | 15,176,273 | 14,301,807 | 874,466 | |
| 1989 | 5.1% | 15,050,346 | 14,283,138 | 767,208 | |
| 1988 | 5.3% | 14,603,678 | 13,833,566 | 770,112 | |
| 1987 | 5.8% | 14,142,290 | 13,317,802 | 824,488 | |
| 1986 | 6.8% | 13,673,385 | 12,748,941 | 924,444 | |
| 1985 | 7.2% | 13,247,309 | 12,294,451 | 952,858 | |
| 1984 | 7.8% | 12,836,418 | 11,840,393 | 996,025 | |
| 1983 | 9.8% | 12,459,424 | 11,234,383 | 1,225,041 | |
| 1982 | 10.1% | 12,265,023 | 11,029,220 | 1,235,803 | |
| 1981 | 7.4% | 11,893,544 | 11,009,471 | 884,073 | |
| 1980 | 6.9% | 11,625,403 | 10,824,606 | 800,797 | |
| 1979 | 6.2% | 11,292,953 | 10,590,466 | 702,487 | |
| 1978 | 7.1% | 10,914,879 | 10,135,587 | 779,292 | |
| 1977 | 8.4% | 10,373,015 | 9,504,657 | 868,358 | |
| 1976 | 9.2% | 9,892,525 | 8,982,727 | 909,798 |
BLS LAUS: monthly rates are seasonally adjusted; annual averages are not seasonally adjusted.