NR No. 25-06
Contact: Loree Levy/Greg Lawson
916-654-9029
mediainquiries@edd.ca.gov
Important Note: The employment data for the month of December 2024 comes from the survey week that included December 12. Data for January is scheduled for release on March 14, 2025, due to the annual process of benchmarking data.
Unemployment Rate Increased Slightly to 5.5 Percent in December
SACRAMENTO — California gained 15,000 nonfarm payroll jobs1 in December 2024 and the unemployment rate rose slightly to 5.5 percent2, according to the latest Employment Development Department (EDD) data coming from two separate surveys. December’s job gain follows a downward-revised job gain of 9,600 for November.
California's Labor Market, by the Numbers...
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Nonfarm jobs grew nearly every month in 2024 (other than small February and August losses)—with a year-to-date gain of 180,500 jobs.
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The job market expansion reached 56 months in December 2024. California gained 3,195,900 jobs since April 2020, averaging 57,070 jobs per month.
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California’s unemployment rate had a year-over increase of 0.4 percent in December 2024 compared to a 0.3 percent increase nationally.
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Seven of California's 11 industry sectors gained jobs in December with Leisure & Hospitality (+7,500) being the highest-gaining industry group thanks to an increased demand in Amusement Parks and Arcades as well as in recreation-related sectors.
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Information (+4,900) saw a gain for the second consecutive month, mostly due to increases in Motion Picture and Video Production.
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Trade, Transportation, & Utilities (+1,200) saw an increase as Wholesale Trade, and Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities posted above average December gains and activity in California ports increased.
Professional & Business Services (-3,000) showed the largest month-over reduction due mostly to losses in Specialized Design Services and Computer Systems Design and Related Services.
1. The nonfarm payroll job numbers come from a federal survey of 80,000 California businesses.
2. The unemployment rate comes from a separate federal survey of 4,400 California households.
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 amounted to 18,129,400 in December – a net gain of 15,000 from November. This followed November’s downward revision of 1,500 jobs, resulting in a month-over November gain of 9,600 jobs.
- Year-over — Total nonfarm jobs increased by 180,500 (a 1.0 percent increase) from December 2023 to December 2024 compared to the U.S. annual gain of 2,232,000 jobs (a 1.4 percent increase).
| Major Industries | Month-over Change (Nov. 2024–Dec. 2024) | Year-over Change (Dec. 2023–Dec. 2024) | Total Payroll Jobs as of Dec. 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leisure and Hospitality | +7,500 | +17,100 | 2,048,400 |
| Information | +4,900 | -11,000 | 524,400 |
| Other Services | +3,100 | +3,200 | 601,900 |
| Government | +2,200 | +56,700 | 2,684,900 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | +1,200 | +23,900 | 3,130,400 |
| Financial Activities | +1,100 | +2,300 | 812,700 |
| Private Education and Health Services | +300 | +129,400 | 3,314,400 |
| Mining and Logging | -100 | -100 | 19,800 |
| Construction | -900 | -12,400 | 921,300 |
| Manufacturing | -1,300 | -45,700 | 1,291,000 |
| Professional and Business Services | -3,000 | +17,100 | 2,780,200 |
Total Farm Jobs — The number of jobs in the agriculture industry increased from November by 3,300 to a total of 422,500 jobs in December. The agriculture industry had 25,900 fewer farm jobs in December 2024 than it did in December of last year.
Data Trends about Workers in the Economy
Employment and Unemployment in California (Based on a monthly federal survey of 4,400 California households which focuses on workers in the economy)
- Employed — The number of Californians employed in December was 18,338,100, a decrease of 3,100 persons from November’s total of 18,341,200 and down 13,800 from the employment total in December 2023.
- Unemployed — The number of unemployed Californians was 1,061,300 in December, an increase of 6,000 over the month and up 71,000 in comparison to December 2023.
| California Labor Force | Month-over Change (November 2024–December 2024) | Year-over Change (December 2023–December 2024) |
|---|---|---|
| * Civilian Labor Force (19,399,400) | +2,900 | +57,300 |
| Total Civilian Employment (18,338,100) | -3,100 | -13,800 |
| Unemployment (1,061,300) | +6,000 | +71,000 |
* Labor force by place of residence, including workers involved in trade disputes.
Unemployment Insurance Claims (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
The following data is from a sample week that includes the 19th of each month:
In related data that figures into the State’s unemployment rate, there were 398,795 people certifying for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits during the December 2024 sample week. That compares to 364,202 people in November and 376,872 people in December 2023. Concurrently, 49,015 initial claims were processed in the December 2024 sample week, which was a month-over increase of 736 claims from November as well as a year-over increase of 465 claims from December 2023.
| California Unemployment Insurance Claims | Month-over Change (November 2024–December 2024) | Year-over Change (December 2023–December 2024) |
|---|---|---|
| UI Recipients (398,795) | +34,593 | +21,923 |
| New UI Claims (49,015) | +736 | +465 |
| COUNTY | LABOR FORCE | EMPLOYMENT | UNEMPLOYMENT | RATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STATE TOTAL | 19,324,000 | 18,320,900 | 1,003,100 | 5.2% |
| ALAMEDA | 822,900 | 785,900 | 36,900 | 4.5% |
| ALPINE | 570 | 540 | 30 | 5.8% |
| AMADOR | 14,530 | 13,750 | 780 | 5.3% |
| BUTTE | 93,500 | 88,200 | 5,200 | 5.6% |
| CALAVERAS | 22,640 | 21,630 | 1,010 | 4.4% |
| COLUSA | 10,580 | 8,930 | 1,650 | 15.6% |
| CONTRA COSTA | 548,700 | 523,500 | 25,200 | 4.6% |
| DEL NORTE | 9,240 | 8,660 | 580 | 6.2% |
| EL DORADO | 94,400 | 90,300 | 4,100 | 4.3% |
| FRESNO | 461,900 | 425,200 | 36,600 | 7.9% |
| GLENN | 12,790 | 11,970 | 820 | 6.4% |
| HUMBOLDT | 61,200 | 58,200 | 2,900 | 4.8% |
| IMPERIAL | 74,800 | 61,500 | 13,300 | 17.8% |
| INYO | 8,610 | 8,270 | 340 | 3.9% |
| KERN | 395,600 | 362,800 | 32,800 | 8.3% |
| KINGS | 59,700 | 54,700 | 5,000 | 8.4% |
| LAKE | 28,980 | 27,070 | 1,900 | 6.6% |
| LASSEN | 8,410 | 7,930 | 490 | 5.8% |
| LOS ANGELES | 5,015,900 | 4,730,300 | 285,600 | 5.7% |
| MADERA | 67,400 | 62,200 | 5,200 | 7.7% |
| MARIN | 131,000 | 126,500 | 4,500 | 3.5% |
| MARIPOSA | 7,570 | 7,160 | 410 | 5.4% |
| MENDOCINO | 37,520 | 35,520 | 2,000 | 5.3% |
| MERCED | 120,400 | 108,900 | 11,500 | 9.5% |
| MODOC | 3,160 | 2,940 | 230 | 7.1% |
| MONO | 8,230 | 7,870 | 360 | 4.4% |
| MONTEREY | 209,700 | 191,900 | 17,800 | 8.5% |
| NAPA | 70,400 | 67,400 | 3,000 | 4.3% |
| NEVADA | 48,950 | 46,930 | 2,020 | 4.1% |
| ORANGE | 1,587,700 | 1,527,700 | 60,000 | 3.8% |
| PLACER | 196,200 | 188,400 | 7,800 | 4.0% |
| PLUMAS | 7,090 | 6,510 | 580 | 8.1% |
| RIVERSIDE | 1,172,300 | 1,113,200 | 59,100 | 5.0% |
| SACRAMENTO | 737,200 | 702,500 | 34,700 | 4.7% |
| SAN BENITO | 32,000 | 29,800 | 2,100 | 6.6% |
| SAN BERNARDINO | 1,026,500 | 976,900 | 49,600 | 4.8% |
| SAN DIEGO | 1,593,600 | 1,524,800 | 68,800 | 4.3% |
| SAN FRANCISCO | 552,100 | 532,800 | 19,300 | 3.5% |
| SAN JOAQUIN | 361,300 | 338,200 | 23,100 | 6.4% |
| SAN LUIS OBISPO | 134,100 | 129,100 | 5,000 | 3.7% |
| SAN MATEO | 436,700 | 422,200 | 14,500 | 3.3% |
| SANTA BARBARA | 214,700 | 205,000 | 9,800 | 4.5% |
| SANTA CLARA | 1,029,400 | 990,300 | 39,100 | 3.8% |
| SANTA CRUZ | 131,000 | 122,700 | 8,300 | 6.3% |
| SHASTA | 74,900 | 70,800 | 4,000 | 5.4% |
| SIERRA | 1,360 | 1,280 | 70 | 5.4% |
| SISKIYOU | 16,210 | 15,030 | 1,180 | 7.3% |
| SOLANO | 204,700 | 194,200 | 10,500 | 5.1% |
| SONOMA | 247,800 | 238,000 | 9,800 | 4.0% |
| STANISLAUS | 248,500 | 231,500 | 17,000 | 6.8% |
| SUTTER | 47,400 | 43,500 | 4,000 | 8.4% |
| TEHAMA | 26,130 | 24,480 | 1,650 | 6.3% |
| TRINITY | 4,600 | 4,330 | 270 | 5.8% |
| TULARE | 215,000 | 193,000 | 22,000 | 10.2% |
| TUOLUMNE | 20,720 | 19,680 | 1,050 | 5.1% |
| VENTURA | 412,300 | 392,900 | 19,400 | 4.7% |
| YOLO | 110,600 | 104,700 | 5,800 | 5.3% |
| YUBA | 32,800 | 30,500 | 2,300 | 6.9% |