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California’s Unemployment Rate Holds Steady at 5.1% in September

Important Note: September 2026 employment data is based on the survey week that included September 12. The release date for October 2026 data is scheduled for November 20.

SACRAMENTO — California’s unemployment rate held steady at 5.1 percent1 in September 2026, unchanged from August, according to the latest data from the Employment Development Department (EDD). The state lost 9,300 nonfarm payroll jobs2 during the month. August’s total nonfarm job gain was revised down 16,300 to a total gain of 23,100 jobs for the month.

An infographic labeled 'California Unemployment Rate' displays three circular markers connected by arrows, showing unemployment data trends. The markers read: 5.5 percent in September 2025, 5.1 percent in August 2026, and 5.1 percent in September 2026. The layout uses blue and yellow to highlight the timeline.
An infographic labeled 'California Payroll Jobs' presents three circular data points connected by arrows to show job totals over time. The first circle reads 18,022,300 for September 2025. The second circle reads 18,160,900 for August 2026. The third, largest circle displays 18,151,600 for September 2026.
 

California's Labor Market, by the Numbers...

  • California lost 9,300 nonfarm jobs in September but gained 129,300 jobs (0.72 percent) over the past year. Nationally, nonfarm jobs grew 496,000 (0.31 percent) over the same period.
  • The number of unemployed Californians fell by 5,400 in September, marking the 10th consecutive monthly decline. Over that period, unemployment fell by 106,500.
  • Four of California's 11 industry sectors added jobs in September. Private Education & Health Services led the way adding 8,000 jobs, including gains in Private Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools.
  • Professional and Business Services added 4,000 jobs, driven by growth in Employment Services. The industry added about 30 percent more jobs than is typical for September.
  • Leisure and Hospitality had the largest month-over job losses of 9,600 jobs in September. Losses in Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation, as well as in the Restaurants and Other Eating Places were greater than typically seen for the month. This deviation potentially reflects caution among consumers in discretionary spending.

1. The unemployment rate comes from a separate federal survey of 4,400 California households.
2. The nonfarm payroll job numbers come from a 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 – seasonally adjusted)         

  • Month-over – Total nonfarm jobs in California’s 11 major industries amounted to 18,151,600 in September – a loss of 9,300 from August. This followed August’s downward revision of 16,300 jobs, resulting in a month-over August gain of 23,100 jobs.
  • Year-over – Total nonfarm jobs increased by 129,300 (0.72 percent increase) from September 2025 to September 2026 compared to the U.S. year-over gain of 496,000 jobs (0.31 percent increase).

Colored Description of the California Industries Payroll Jobs Accordion

Major Industries Month-over Change
(Aug. 2026 - Sept. 2026)		 Year-over Change
(Sept. 2025 - Sept. 2026)		 Total Payroll Jobs
as of Sept. 2026
Private Education and Health Services +8,000 +125,600 3,643,900
Professional and Business Services +4,000 -7,400 2,744,800
Other Services +900 +4,400 599,700
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities +300 +25,200 3,062,800
Mining and Logging 0 -200 18,100
Government 0 +9,300 2,675,900
Construction -1,900 -4,800 883,800
Information -3,200 -24,200 506,200
Financial Activities -3,800 -16,600 775,600
Manufacturing -4,000 -10,700 1,199,800
Leisure and Hospitality -9,600 +28,700 2,041,000

Total Farm Jobs – The number of jobs in the agriculture industry increased by 1,100 in September to a total of 409,600 jobs. The agriculture industry had 14,500 more farm jobs in September 2026 than it did in September 2025.

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 September was 18,490,400, a decrease of 15,600 from August and down 268,900 compared to September of last year.
  • Unemployed – The number of unemployed Californians was 987,600 in September, down 5,400 from August and down 109,700 from September 2025.

Colored Depiction of the Data Trends Accordion

California Labor Force Month-over Change (Aug. 2026 – Sept. 2026) Year-over Change (Sept. 2025 – Sept. 2026)
* Civilian Labor Force (19,478,000) -20,900 -378,600
Total Civilian Employment (18,490,400) -15,600 -268,900
Unemployment (987,600) -5,400 -109,700

* 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 310,167 people certifying for Unemployment Insurance benefits during the September 2026 sample week. That compares to 332,382 people in August and 359,565 people in September 2025. Concurrently, 35,070 initial claims were processed in the September 2026 sample week, which was a month-over decrease of 262 claims from August and a year-over decrease of 2,390 claims from September 2025.

Colored Description of the UI Claims Accordion

California Unemployment Insurance Claims Month-over Change (Aug. 2026 – Sept. 2026) Year-over Change (Sept. 2025 – Sept. 2026)
UI Recipients (310,167) -22,215 -49,398
New UI Claims (35,070) -262 -2,390
Monthly Labor Force Data for Counties
September 2026; 2025 Benchmark
Not Seasonally Adjusted
County Labor Force Employment Unemployment Rate
STATE TOTAL 19,643,800 18,647,600 996,200 5.1%
ALAMEDA 860,500 820,300 40,200 4.7%
ALPINE 420 380 40 10.0%
AMADOR 15,160 14,280 870 5.8%
BUTTE 90,600 85,200 5,400 5.9%
CALAVERAS 17,590 16,490 1,100 6.2%
COLUSA 11,780 10,760 1,020 8.6%
CONTRA COSTA 577,500 549,700 27,800 4.8%
DEL NORTE 9,400 8,840 560 6.0%
EL DORADO 89,900 85,500 4,500 5.0%
FRESNO 478,400 443,200 35,200 7.4%
GLENN 11,930 11,160 780 6.5%
HUMBOLDT 60,300 57,200 3,100 5.2%
IMPERIAL 76,200 60,400 15,800 20.8%
INYO 8,360 7,980 390 4.6%
KERN 417,000 384,200 32,900 7.9%
KINGS 59,600 54,700 4,800 8.1%
LAKE 26,900 24,990 1,910 7.1%
LASSEN 8,570 8,040 530 6.2%
LOS ANGELES 5,031,000 4,806,500 224,500 4.5%
MADERA 71,100 66,200 5,000 7.0%
MARIN 123,400 118,100 5,300 4.3%
MARIPOSA 7,850 7,410 430 5.5%
MENDOCINO 37,130 35,190 1,950 5.2%
MERCED 125,100 115,000 10,200 8.1%
MODOC 3,090 2,900 190 6.1%
MONO 8,500 8,130 370 4.4%
MONTEREY 227,600 215,100 12,400 5.5%
NAPA 74,300 71,200 3,100 4.2%
NEVADA 47,500 45,190 2,300 4.8%
ORANGE 1,615,900 1,546,400 69,500 4.3%
PLACER 208,500 199,300 9,200 4.4%
PLUMAS 7,870 7,430 440 5.6%
RIVERSIDE 1,193,400 1,123,000 70,400 5.9%
SACRAMENTO 784,900 744,800 40,100 5.1%
SAN BENITO 35,200 33,200 2,000 5.7%
SAN BERNARDINO 1,029,300 973,200 56,100 5.5%
SAN DIEGO 1,656,700 1,578,500 78,200 4.7%
SAN FRANCISCO 501,400 481,300 20,100 4.0%
SAN JOAQUIN 377,200 353,700 23,500 6.2%
SAN LUIS OBISPO 133,300 127,200 6,100 4.6%
SAN MATEO 410,700 394,700 16,000 3.9%
SANTA BARBARA 226,300 216,100 10,100 4.5%
SANTA CLARA 1,040,700 997,400 43,300 4.2%
SANTA CRUZ 138,700 131,600 7,100 5.1%
SHASTA 81,500 77,300 4,200 5.2%
SIERRA 1,540 1,480 60 4.1%
SISKIYOU 16,770 15,640 1,120 6.7%
SOLANO 218,900 207,300 11,500 5.3%
SONOMA 247,200 236,500 10,700 4.3%
STANISLAUS 255,300 238,400 16,900 6.6%
SUTTER 46,200 42,900 3,300 7.1%
TEHAMA 27,800 26,170 1,630 5.9%
TRINITY 5,640 5,340 310 5.4%
TULARE 217,400 196,100 21,300 9.8%
TUOLUMNE 22,010 20,800 1,210 5.5%
VENTURA 418,000 397,400 20,600 4.9%
YOLO 112,600 106,400 6,200 5.5%
YUBA 36,200 33,800 2,300 6.5%