Counties with the highest unemployment in California

The first jobs report under the new Trump administration showed a stable job market, with the unemployment rate ticking down from 4.1% to 4% in January, the lowest since last May, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released Feb. 7.

The report marks 49 consecutive months of overall job growth, the second-longest recorded period since 1939.

Job losses that did occur were concentrated in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industries, which declined by 8,000 jobs over the month. There was little change in employment in other major industries.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates California, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in December 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Key takeaways: Jobs report reveals cooling labor market

January's job growth of 143,000 fell short of expectations, while the downward revision of 589,000 fewer jobs in 2024 suggests the labor market was weaker last year than initially thought.

Business leaders are starting to display more caution, with 67% of executives reporting higher stress levels heading into 2025, according to a survey of 1,000 executives by Sentry, a business insurance company. Among survey respondents, 47% citing economic uncertainty as their biggest concern.

"We have what I would describe as a robust but frozen labor market," Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon, told The New York Times, noting that while unemployment remains low, there's very little churn or employee turnover as "businesses are being cautious as to how they manage their work force."

Moody's Analytics projects monthly payroll gains could slow to around 100,000 by year-end.

The big story: Potential for economic headwinds grows

Behind the "Now Hiring" signs and modest unemployment rate, there's growing concern on Main Street that the economy might be more fragile than it appears.

"You've already got companies hiring as if they're in a recession—even if they're not laying people off," Oliver Allen, senior U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, told CNN. Average unemployment duration, a lagging indicator, rose from 20.8 weeks in January 2024 to 22 in January of this year.

Tightening trade regulations and federal trimming could also have an impact on the job market. Experts predict the U.S. gross domestic product could take a hit due to increased tariffs. The U.S. government is the country's largest employer and contributes 36% to the GDP.

Sudden cuts to federal spending advocated by the new administration could hit the economy hard. One example of the potential fallout is that if prices were to increase further due to higher tariffs, consumer purchasing power would decline, stymieing economic growth.

Whether the effects of slashing the workforce and the budget will be exceeded by Trump's plans to loosen business regulations and cut taxes remains to be seen.

To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in California.

50. Sonoma County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 247,819 people (9,827 unemployed)

49. Nevada County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 48,946 people (2,018 unemployed)

46. El Dorado County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 94,405 people (4,077 unemployed)

46. Napa County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 70,374 people (3,017 unemployed)

46. San Diego County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,593,579 people (68,750 unemployed)

44. Calaveras County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,635 people (1,005 unemployed)

44. Mono County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,228 people (359 unemployed)

42. Santa Barbara County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 214,707 people (9,756 unemployed)

42. Alameda County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 822,890 people (36,944 unemployed)

41. Contra Costa County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 548,724 people (25,248 unemployed)

39. Ventura County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 412,309 people (19,364 unemployed)

39. Sacramento County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 737,196 people (34,662 unemployed)

37. San Bernardino County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,026,484 people (49,575 unemployed)

37. Humboldt County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 61,159 people (2,933 unemployed)

36. Riverside County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
--- 1-month change: -0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,172,296 people (59,132 unemployed)

34. Tuolumne County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,723 people (1,048 unemployed)

34. Solano County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 204,720 people (10,482 unemployed)

31. Mendocino County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 37,516 people (1,995 unemployed)

31. Amador County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,529 people (777 unemployed)

31. Yolo County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 110,555 people (5,822 unemployed)

28. Mariposa County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,569 people (406 unemployed)

28. Shasta County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 74,850 people (4,036 unemployed)

28. Sierra County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,358 people (74 unemployed)

27. Butte County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 93,472 people (5,240 unemployed)

26. Los Angeles County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,015,885 people (285,600 unemployed)

23. Trinity County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,597 people (265 unemployed)

23. Lassen County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,413 people (487 unemployed)

23. Alpine County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 570 people (33 unemployed)

22. Del Norte County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,238 people (577 unemployed)

20. Santa Cruz County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 131,017 people (8,311 unemployed)

20. Tehama County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 26,130 people (1,647 unemployed)

18. San Joaquin County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.4%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 361,286 people (23,072 unemployed)

18. Glenn County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,789 people (816 unemployed)

16. San Benito County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 31,966 people (2,118 unemployed)

16. Lake County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 28,978 people (1,904 unemployed)

15. Stanislaus County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 248,495 people (16,963 unemployed)

14. Yuba County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 32,806 people (2,273 unemployed)

13. Modoc County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.1%
--- 1-month change: +1.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,164 people (226 unemployed)

12. Siskiyou County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.3%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,209 people (1,176 unemployed)

11. Madera County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 67,385 people (5,167 unemployed)

10. Fresno County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 461,867 people (36,642 unemployed)

9. Plumas County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.1%
--- 1-month change: +2.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,085 people (576 unemployed)

8. Kern County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 395,590 people (32,789 unemployed)

6. Kings County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 59,696 people (5,040 unemployed)

6. Sutter County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.4%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 47,423 people (3,964 unemployed)

5. Monterey County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.5%
--- 1-month change: +2.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 209,667 people (17,810 unemployed)

4. Merced County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 9.5%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 120,389 people (11,496 unemployed)

3. Tulare County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 10.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 214,982 people (22,026 unemployed)

2. Colusa County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 15.6%
--- 1-month change: +3.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,582 people (1,654 unemployed)

1. Imperial County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 17.8%
--- 1-month change: -1.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 74,823 people (13,343 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Ben Popken, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.