Cities in California by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Emeryville, CA had the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 376 cities in 2023, at 78.6%. Laguna Woods, CA had the lowest, at 23%. The median was 63.8% and the figure for California was 63.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest78.6Emeryville, CA

Lowest23Laguna Woods, CA

Median63.8376 cities

California63.9History

Top 40 cities, 2023

%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

Rank	Cities	2023 (%)	Change on 2022
1	Emeryville, CA	78.6	+1.3 pts
2	West Hollywood, CA	77.3	-0.7 pts
3	Aliso Viejo, CA	74.7	-0.6 pts
4	El Segundo, CA	74.3	-1.9 pts
5	Costa Mesa, CA	73.6	+0.4 pts
6	Mountain View, CA	73.3	+0.3 pts
7	Lawndale, CA	72.7	+0.1 pts
8	Rancho Santa Margarita, CA	72.6	-1.7 pts
9	Sunnyvale, CA	72.4	+0.6 pts
10	Rohnert Park, CA	72.3	+1.3 pts
11	South Pasadena, CA	72.3	+2.4 pts
12	Santa Clara, CA	71.9	+0.4 pts
13	Redondo Beach, CA	71.9	-0.4 pts
14	Newark, CA	71.4	-0.2 pts
15	Twentynine Palms, CA	71.2	+0.3 pts
16	San Carlos, CA	71	+0.1 pts
17	South Lake Tahoe, CA	71	+1.7 pts
18	Eastvale, CA	70.6	+0.2 pts
19	Port Hueneme, CA	70.5	+1.3 pts
20	Hermosa Beach, CA	70.5	-0.6 pts
21	Dixon, CA	70.2	-1.5 pts
22	San Anselmo, CA	70.2	-2.1 pts
23	Goleta, CA	70.1	+1.7 pts
24	San Francisco, CA	70.1	-0.3 pts
25	Signal Hill, CA	70	-0.6 pts
26	Los Alamitos, CA	69.8	-0.1 pts
26	San Ramon, CA	69.8	+0.5 pts
28	Imperial Beach, CA	69.6	+1.8 pts
29	Dublin, CA	69.6	-0.4 pts
30	San Mateo, CA	69.5	-0.6 pts
31	Belmont, CA	69.4	-0.4 pts
32	East Palo Alto, CA	69.4	+0.8 pts
33	Culver City, CA	69.2	-0.2 pts
34	Lake Forest, CA	69.2	-0.1 pts
35	La Mesa, CA	69	-0.4 pts
35	Monterey, CA	69	-1.6 pts
35	Oakley, CA	69	+0.8 pts
35	Tustin, CA	69	0 pts
39	Hawthorne, CA	68.9	-0.4 pts
40	Burlingame, CA	68.9	-1.8 pts
41	Covina, CA	68.8	-0.5 pts
42	Livermore, CA	68.8	-1 pts
43	Truckee, CA	68.7	+2.1 pts
44	Campbell, CA	68.6	-1.1 pts
45	Buena Park, CA	68.6	-0.4 pts
46	Newman, CA	68.6	-0.8 pts
47	Redwood City, CA	68.5	-1.4 pts
48	Vista, CA	68.4	-0.1 pts
49	San Diego, CA	68.3	+0.3 pts
49	South San Francisco, CA	68.3	+1.2 pts
51	Oakland, CA	68.3	-0.1 pts
52	Coachella, CA	68.2	-0.8 pts
53	San Bruno, CA	68.2	-1.8 pts
54	Albany, CA	68.1	-0.1 pts
55	Alameda, CA	67.9	-0.4 pts
56	San Jose, CA	67.8	-0.1 pts
57	Moorpark, CA	67.8	+1.1 pts
58	Milpitas, CA	67.8	-0 pts
59	Suisun City, CA	67.8	+0.8 pts
60	Hollister, CA	67.7	-1.6 pts
61	La Habra, CA	67.7	-0.6 pts
62	Santa Monica, CA	67.7	+0.3 pts
63	Sierra Madre, CA	67.7	-0.5 pts
64	Fremont, CA	67.6	+0.1 pts
65	Lemoore, CA	67.6	+4.4 pts
66	Morgan Hill, CA	67.5	+1 pts
67	Tracy, CA	67.4	-0.8 pts
68	Hayward, CA	67.4	+0.6 pts
69	Lakewood, CA	67.3	-0.8 pts
70	Pasadena, CA	67.3	+0.4 pts
71	El Cerrito, CA	67.3	+0.3 pts
72	Inglewood, CA	67.3	-0.2 pts
73	Oxnard, CA	67.2	-0.6 pts
74	Windsor, CA	67.2	-1.8 pts
75	Encinitas, CA	67.2	+2.4 pts
76	Pleasant Hill, CA	67.1	-0.3 pts
77	Lake Elsinore, CA	67	+1.2 pts
78	Daly City, CA	67	-0.7 pts
79	Gilroy, CA	67	-0.1 pts
79	West Sacramento, CA	67	+1.2 pts
81	Concord, CA	66.9	-0.2 pts
82	Monrovia, CA	66.9	-1.2 pts
83	Marina, CA	66.9	-0.1 pts
84	Anaheim, CA	66.9	-0.6 pts
85	Orange, CA	66.8	+0.7 pts
86	Santa Clarita, CA	66.8	-0.5 pts
87	Corona, CA	66.7	+0.3 pts
88	Chula Vista, CA	66.7	-0.2 pts
89	American Canyon, CA	66.7	-0.4 pts
90	Oceanside, CA	66.7	-0.4 pts
91	Martinez, CA	66.7	-1.3 pts
92	San Fernando, CA	66.6	+1.1 pts
93	Santa Rosa, CA	66.6	+0.3 pts
94	Fontana, CA	66.6	-0.3 pts
95	Foster City, CA	66.6	+0.1 pts
95	Los Angeles, CA	66.6	+0.1 pts
97	Long Beach, CA	66.6	-0 pts
98	Irvine, CA	66.6	+1 pts
99	Santa Maria, CA	66.5	+0.5 pts
100	Rancho Cordova, CA	66.5	+0.8 pts
101	Burbank, CA	66.5	-0.3 pts
101	Laguna Hills, CA	66.5	+0.7 pts
103	Azusa, CA	66.4	+0.3 pts
104	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	66.3	+0.4 pts
104	Santa Ana, CA	66.3	-0.4 pts
106	Ontario, CA	66.3	-0.3 pts
107	Simi Valley, CA	66.3	-0 pts
108	Richmond, CA	66.2	-0.3 pts
109	Hercules, CA	66.2	-1 pts
110	Placentia, CA	66.2	+0.1 pts
111	Upland, CA	66.1	-0.1 pts
112	Huntington Beach, CA	66.1	-0.2 pts
113	Millbrae, CA	66.1	+1.2 pts
114	Chico, CA	66	-0.1 pts
114	Lomita, CA	66	-1.1 pts
116	Carpinteria, CA	66	-0.2 pts
117	Temecula, CA	65.9	+0.9 pts
118	Seaside, CA	65.9	+1.5 pts
119	Union City, CA	65.9	+0.7 pts
120	Menlo Park, CA	65.9	+0.3 pts
121	Grover Beach, CA	65.9	+0.6 pts
121	Laguna Niguel, CA	65.9	-0.4 pts
123	Pacifica, CA	65.8	-2.3 pts
124	Bellflower, CA	65.8	-0.5 pts
125	Clovis, CA	65.7	-1 pts
125	Downey, CA	65.7	-0.4 pts
127	Chino Hills, CA	65.7	+0.4 pts
128	Mountain House, CA	65.6	+0.9 pts
129	Elk Grove, CA	65.6	+0.4 pts
130	Paramount, CA	65.5	-0.2 pts
131	Fullerton, CA	65.5	+0.1 pts
132	Gardena, CA	65.4	+0.4 pts
133	Brea, CA	65.4	-1.7 pts
134	Napa, CA	65.4	-0.7 pts
135	Roseville, CA	65.3	+0.5 pts
136	Antioch, CA	65.3	+0.1 pts
137	San Marcos, CA	65.2	-0.4 pts
138	San Leandro, CA	65.2	-0.7 pts
139	Fillmore, CA	65.2	-0.4 pts
140	Santa Barbara, CA	65	+0.1 pts
141	Lathrop, CA	65	+0.4 pts
141	Pleasanton, CA	65	-0.8 pts
143	Dinuba, CA	65	+0.7 pts
144	Rialto, CA	65	-0.3 pts
145	Pittsburg, CA	64.9	-0.5 pts
146	San Rafael, CA	64.9	+0.1 pts
147	Galt, CA	64.8	+0.2 pts
148	San Juan Capistrano, CA	64.8	+1 pts
149	Cypress, CA	64.8	+1.1 pts
150	Sacramento, CA	64.8	+0.1 pts
151	San Pablo, CA	64.8	-0.4 pts
151	South Gate, CA	64.8	-0.6 pts
153	Lemon Grove, CA	64.8	-0.2 pts
154	San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA	64.7	+0.8 pts
155	Stanton, CA	64.7	+0.1 pts
156	Calabasas, CA	64.6	+0.1 pts
156	Carlsbad, CA	64.6	-0.6 pts
158	Riverside, CA	64.6	+0.6 pts
159	Arcata, CA	64.5	-2.3 pts
159	Huntington Park, CA	64.5	-1.1 pts
161	Atascadero, CA	64.5	-1.2 pts
162	Danville, CA	64.5	+1.1 pts
162	Torrance, CA	64.5	-0 pts
164	Redlands, CA	64.4	+1.1 pts
165	Woodland, CA	64.4	-1.7 pts
166	Hawaiian Gardens, CA	64.4	-1.1 pts
167	Moreno Valley, CA	64.3	-0.3 pts
168	Chino, CA	64.3	+1.4 pts
168	National City, CA	64.3	+0.6 pts
170	Patterson, CA	64.2	-0.1 pts
171	Ripon, CA	64.2	-1.4 pts
172	Santee, CA	64.2	+0.7 pts
173	Oakdale, CA	64.1	+0.7 pts
174	Rocklin, CA	64.1	-0.2 pts
175	Larkspur, CA	64.1	-1.2 pts
176	Scotts Valley, CA	64.1	+0.9 pts
177	Lafayette, CA	64	-0.7 pts
178	Beaumont, CA	64	+0.5 pts
178	Petaluma, CA	64	-1.4 pts
180	Escondido, CA	64	+0.1 pts
181	Fairfield, CA	63.9	-1 pts
182	Brentwood, CA	63.9	+0.9 pts
183	Piedmont, CA	63.9	-0 pts
184	Garden Grove, CA	63.8	-0.5 pts
184	Lodi, CA	63.8	-1 pts
184	Visalia, CA	63.8	+0.4 pts
187	Livingston, CA	63.8	+0.2 pts
188	La Puente, CA	63.8	+0.6 pts
189	Clayton, CA	63.7	+1.6 pts
190	Folsom, CA	63.7	+1.3 pts
191	Citrus Heights, CA	63.7	-0.9 pts
192	Santa Paula, CA	63.7	+0.7 pts
193	Norwalk, CA	63.6	+1.3 pts
193	San Luis Obispo, CA	63.6	+1.1 pts
193	West Covina, CA	63.6	+0.1 pts
196	Jurupa Valley, CA	63.6	-0.1 pts
197	Compton, CA	63.6	+1.8 pts
198	Parlier, CA	63.5	-1.4 pts
199	Dana Point, CA	63.4	+1.8 pts
200	Alhambra, CA	63.3	+0.4 pts
200	Murrieta, CA	63.3	-0.1 pts
202	Pomona, CA	63.2	+0.5 pts
203	Poway, CA	63.2	-0.1 pts
204	Perris, CA	63.1	-0.8 pts
205	Half Moon Bay, CA	63.1	-1.6 pts
206	Ridgecrest, CA	63.1	-0.7 pts
206	Temple City, CA	63.1	+2 pts
208	Mission Viejo, CA	63.1	-0.6 pts
208	San Gabriel, CA	63.1	+1.1 pts
210	San Clemente, CA	63	-0.1 pts
211	Yorba Linda, CA	63	+0.1 pts
212	Vallejo, CA	63	-0.5 pts
213	Colton, CA	62.9	0 pts
214	Palo Alto, CA	62.9	-0.5 pts
215	Montebello, CA	62.9	-0.8 pts
216	Desert Hot Springs, CA	62.9	+1.1 pts
217	San Dimas, CA	62.9	-0.2 pts
218	Duarte, CA	62.8	+1.6 pts
219	Maywood, CA	62.7	-2.3 pts
220	Bakersfield, CA	62.7	-0.4 pts
221	Cupertino, CA	62.6	+1.2 pts
222	Whittier, CA	62.6	+0.1 pts
223	Fresno, CA	62.6	+0.4 pts
224	El Cajon, CA	62.6	+0.3 pts
224	Newport Beach, CA	62.6	+0.2 pts
224	Thousand Oaks, CA	62.6	+0.2 pts
227	Manhattan Beach, CA	62.5	+1.3 pts
228	Shafter, CA	62.5	+1.5 pts
229	Glendora, CA	62.5	+0.6 pts
230	Loma Linda, CA	62.4	+3.8 pts
231	Benicia, CA	62.4	-1.5 pts
232	Glendale, CA	62.3	+0.1 pts
233	Diamond Bar, CA	62.3	+0.3 pts
234	Eureka, CA	62.3	+0.8 pts
235	Healdsburg, CA	62.3	+3 pts
235	Watsonville, CA	62.3	-1.9 pts
237	Reedley, CA	62.3	-0.1 pts
238	Grand Terrace, CA	62.2	-5.1 pts
239	Turlock, CA	62.2	+0.7 pts
240	Laguna Beach, CA	62.2	+1.6 pts
241	Riverbank, CA	62.1	-0.7 pts
242	Cudahy, CA	62.1	-0.8 pts
243	Lynwood, CA	62	+0.7 pts
244	Agoura Hills, CA	62	-1.4 pts
245	Madera, CA	62	-1.3 pts
246	La Palma, CA	62	-0.3 pts
247	Santa Cruz, CA	61.9	+0.3 pts
248	Pico Rivera, CA	61.9	+0.4 pts
249	Merced, CA	61.8	+0.9 pts
250	Tulare, CA	61.8	+0.4 pts

Showing the top 250 of 376. The Excel download has every row.

Other periods

2024
2023
2022
2021

About this ranking

People aged 16 and over in the labor force (employed, unemployed or in the Armed Forces) as a percentage of all people aged 16 and over, including people in group quarters. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The Census Bureau definition used in its data profiles. It differs from the BLS labor_force_participation_rate, which counts the civilian noninstitutional population only.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in California by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in California by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2023. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in California by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2023.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in California by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_california_by_2023,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in California by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2023. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}

RIS

TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in California by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2023.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -

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Rank Cities in California by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.

rank_places {"indicator":"labor_force_participation_rate_acs","level":"municipality","within":"California","limit":10}
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Questions

Which city has the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Emeryville, CA, with 78.6% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Laguna Woods, CA, with 23% in 2023.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.