November 18, 2019 - SACRAMENTO – California’s unemployment rate fell to a new record low of 3.9 percent in October while the state’s employers added 23,600 nonfarm payroll jobs, according to data released on Friday by the California Employment Development Department (EDD) from two surveys. The job gains in October contribute to a record job expansion in California of 116 months, surpassing the long expansion of the 1960s. California has gained 3,377,900 jobs since the expansion began in February 2010, accounting for more than 15 percent of the nation’s 22,230,000 job gain over the same timeframe.
California’s Labor Market, by the Numbers...
- The state’s unemployment rate fell to 3.9 percent1 in October, setting a new record low in a data series going back to the 1970s. The number of unemployed Californians is the lowest since 1989 despite large gains in statewide population since then.
- California’s record low unemployment rate in October contrasts a 0.1 percentage point rise in the national unemployment rate to 3.6 percent for the month.
- October’s 23,600 nonfarm payroll2 gain extended California’s current job expansion to an all-time record of 116 months. Gains were widespread across a number of industry sectors with education and health services increasing by 6,500 jobs, led by growth in social assistance. Government (5,400) and financial activities (5,300) also showed large increases.
- A good start to holiday hiring in retail helped propel a gain in the trade, transportation, and utilities sector (4,700).
1. The unemployment rate comes from a federal survey of 5,100 California households.
2. The nonfarm payroll job numbers come from a separate federal survey of 80,000 California businesses.
Data Trends about Jobs in the Economy
Total Nonfarm Payroll Jobs (Comes from a monthly survey of approximately 80,000 California businesses that estimates jobs in the economy – seasonally adjusted)
- Month-over – Total nonfarm jobs in California’s 11 major industries totaled 17,567,500 in October – a net gain of 23,600 jobs from September. This followed a revised gain of 26,700 jobs in September.
- Year-over – Total nonfarm jobs increased by 308,000 jobs (a 1.8 percent increase) from October 2018 to October 2019 compared to the U.S. annual gain of 2,093,000 jobs (a 1.4 percent increase).
EEOmail@edd.ca.gov or call toll free 1-866-490-8879." style="box-sizing: border-box; vertical-align: middle; border-style: none; width: 1100px; max-width: 1100px;">Total Farm jobs – The number of jobs in the agriculture industry increased by 200 jobs from September to 432,500. The agricultural industry has added 4,000 farm jobs since October 2018.
Data Trends about Workers in the Economy
Employment and Unemployment in California (Based on monthly federal survey of 5,100 California households which focuses on workers in the economy)
- Employed – The number of Californians holding jobs in October was 18,676,800, an increase of 50,000 from September, but down 24,000 from the employment total in October of last year.
- Unemployed – The number of unemployed Californians was 765,300 in October, a decrease of 9,100 over the month and down by 33,400 compared with October of last year.
Unemployment Insurance Claims (not seasonally adjusted) In related data that figures into the state’s unemployment rate, there were 260,709 people receiving Unemployment Insurance benefits during the survey week in October compared to 281,060 in September and 272,542 people in October 2018. Concurrently, 39,401 people filed new claims in October which was a month-over increase of 4,073 people.
| COUNTY | LABOR FORCE | EMPLOYMENT | UNEMPLOYMENT | RATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
STATE TOTAL |
19,587,500 |
18,869,200 |
718,300 |
3.7% |
|
ALAMEDA |
860,100 |
837,600 |
22,400 |
2.6% |
|
ALPINE |
470 |
440 |
20 |
5.2% |
|
AMADOR |
15,060 |
14,570 |
480 |
3.2% |
|
BUTTE |
104,400 |
100,400 |
4,000 |
3.8% |
|
CALAVERAS |
21,610 |
20,910 |
700 |
3.2% |
|
COLUSA |
11,090 |
10,280 |
810 |
7.3% |
|
CONTRA COSTA |
571,900 |
556,300 |
15,500 |
2.7% |
|
DEL NORTE |
9,890 |
9,400 |
490 |
4.9% |
|
EL DORADO |
92,200 |
89,400 |
2,800 |
3.0% |
|
FRESNO |
451,400 |
425,000 |
26,400 |
5.8% |
|
GLENN |
13,270 |
12,690 |
580 |
4.4% |
|
HUMBOLDT |
64,200 |
62,300 |
1,900 |
2.9% |
|
IMPERIAL |
73,800 |
58,100 |
15,700 |
21.2% |
|
INYO |
8,700 |
8,450 |
250 |
2.9% |
|
KERN |
393,300 |
369,200 |
24,100 |
6.1% |
|
KINGS |
57,900 |
54,300 |
3,600 |
6.3% |
|
LAKE |
29,820 |
28,600 |
1,220 |
4.1% |
|
LASSEN |
10,570 |
10,230 |
340 |
3.2% |
|
LOS ANGELES |
5,161,500 |
4,928,500 |
233,000 |
4.5% |
|
MADERA |
61,700 |
58,400 |
3,300 |
5.4% |
|
MARIN |
143,000 |
140,100 |
2,900 |
2.0% |
|
MARIPOSA |
7,750 |
7,490 |
260 |
3.4% |
|
MENDOCINO |
39,520 |
38,300 |
1,210 |
3.1% |
|
MERCED |
118,600 |
111,800 |
6,900 |
5.8% |
|
MODOC |
3,230 |
3,080 |
150 |
4.6% |
|
MONO |
8,400 |
8,090 |
310 |
3.6% |
|
MONTEREY |
228,200 |
219,700 |
8,400 |
3.7% |
|
NAPA |
75,400 |
73,600 |
1,700 |
2.3% |
|
NEVADA |
48,080 |
46,690 |
1,400 |
2.9% |
|
ORANGE |
1,633,900 |
1,592,600 |
41,300 |
2.5% |
|
PLACER |
186,900 |
181,800 |
5,200 |
2.8% |
|
PLUMAS |
7,890 |
7,500 |
390 |
4.9% |
|
RIVERSIDE |
1,106,100 |
1,062,800 |
43,300 |
3.9% |
|
SACRAMENTO |
716,000 |
692,800 |
23,200 |
3.2% |
|
SAN BENITO |
31,400 |
30,100 |
1,300 |
4.1% |
|
SAN BERNARDINO |
973,500 |
939,800 |
33,700 |
3.5% |
|
SAN DIEGO |
1,609,400 |
1,563,600 |
45,800 |
2.8% |
|
SAN FRANCISCO |
591,500 |
579,900 |
11,600 |
2.0% |
|
SAN JOAQUIN |
327,500 |
311,200 |
16,300 |
5.0% |
|
SAN LUIS OBISPO |
143,500 |
140,000 |
3,500 |
2.4% |
|
SAN MATEO |
467,200 |
458,700 |
8,500 |
1.8% |
|
SANTA BARBARA |
218,500 |
211,900 |
6,600 |
3.0% |
|
SANTA CLARA |
1,070,800 |
1,046,800 |
24,000 |
2.2% |
|
SANTA CRUZ |
144,300 |
139,400 |
4,800 |
3.3% |
|
SHASTA |
74,900 |
72,000 |
2,800 |
3.8% |
|
SIERRA |
1,370 |
1,310 |
50 |
3.9% |
|
SISKIYOU |
17,600 |
16,810 |
790 |
4.5% |
|
SOLANO |
209,200 |
202,400 |
6,800 |
3.3% |
|
SONOMA |
264,000 |
257,900 |
6,000 |
2.3% |
|
STANISLAUS |
244,600 |
232,700 |
11,900 |
4.9% |
|
SUTTER |
45,200 |
42,800 |
2,400 |
5.3% |
|
TEHAMA |
26,480 |
25,340 |
1,140 |
4.3% |
|
TRINITY |
4,730 |
4,520 |
210 |
4.4% |
|
TULARE |
202,800 |
186,500 |
16,300 |
8.0% |
|
TUOLUMNE |
21,680 |
20,890 |
780 |
3.6% |
|
VENTURA |
424,200 |
410,300 |
13,900 |
3.3% |
|
YOLO |
108,800 |
105,300 |
3,500 |
3.2% |
|
YUBA |
29,100 |
27,600 |
1,500 |
5.1% |
Source: EDD
