Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Cities in California

Cities in California by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024

Calexico, CA had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 376 cities in 2024, at 19.5%. Calimesa, CA had the lowest, at 1.3%. The median was 6% and the figure for California was 6.6%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest19.5Calexico, CA
Lowest1.3Calimesa, CA
Median6376 cities
California6.6History

Top 40 cities, 2024

Calexico, CA: 19.5 %Calexico, CA19.5California City, CA: 18.7 %California City, CA18.7Lindsay, CA: 17.8 %Lindsay, CA17.8Brawley, CA: 15.5 %Brawley, CA15.5Clearlake, CA: 14.8 %Clearlake, CA14.8Arvin, CA: 14 %Arvin, CA14Delano, CA: 13.9 %Delano, CA13.9Reedley, CA: 13.4 %Reedley, CA13.4Selma, CA: 13.3 %Selma, CA13.3Lemoore, CA: 13.1 %Lemoore, CA13.1Avenal, CA: 12.7 %Avenal, CA12.7Madera, CA: 12.6 %Madera, CA12.6Atwater, CA: 12.3 %Atwater, CA12.3Arcata, CA: 11.9 %Arcata, CA11.9Barstow, CA: 11.9 %Barstow, CA11.9Adelanto, CA: 11.8 %Adelanto, CA11.8Blythe, CA: 11.7 %Blythe, CA11.7Livingston, CA: 11.7 %Livingston, CA11.7Mendota, CA: 11.5 %Mendota, CA11.5Coalinga, CA: 11.4 %Coalinga, CA11.4Merced, CA: 11.3 %Merced, CA11.3Corcoran, CA: 11.1 %Corcoran, CA11.1Victorville, CA: 11.1 %Victorville, CA11.1Newman, CA: 11 %Newman, CA11Rio Vista, CA: 10.9 %Rio Vista, CA10.9Calabasas, CA: 10.6 %Calabasas, CA10.6Chowchilla, CA: 10.6 %Chowchilla, CA10.6Dinuba, CA: 10.6 %Dinuba, CA10.6Kerman, CA: 10.5 %Kerman, CA10.5Eureka, CA: 10.3 %Eureka, CA10.3Oakdale, CA: 10.2 %Oakdale, CA10.2Ceres, CA: 10.2 %Ceres, CA10.2Cudahy, CA: 10.1 %Cudahy, CA10.1Port Hueneme, CA: 10.1 %Port Hueneme, CA10.1Porterville, CA: 10.1 %Porterville, CA10.1Artesia, CA: 10 %Artesia, CA10Parlier, CA: 10 %Parlier, CA10El Centro, CA: 9.9 %El Centro, CA9.9Lynwood, CA: 9.8 %Lynwood, CA9.8Lawndale, CA: 9.7 %Lawndale, CA9.7Calexico, CA: 19.5 %Calexico, CA19.5California City, CA: 18.7 %California City, CA18.7Lindsay, CA: 17.8 %Lindsay, CA17.8Brawley, CA: 15.5 %Brawley, CA15.5Clearlake, CA: 14.8 %Clearlake, CA14.8Arvin, CA: 14 %Arvin, CA14Delano, CA: 13.9 %Delano, CA13.9Reedley, CA: 13.4 %Reedley, CA13.4Selma, CA: 13.3 %Selma, CA13.3Lemoore, CA: 13.1 %Lemoore, CA13.1Avenal, CA: 12.7 %Avenal, CA12.7Madera, CA: 12.6 %Madera, CA12.6Atwater, CA: 12.3 %Atwater, CA12.3Arcata, CA: 11.9 %Arcata, CA11.9Barstow, CA: 11.9 %Barstow, CA11.9Adelanto, CA: 11.8 %Adelanto, CA11.8Blythe, CA: 11.7 %Blythe, CA11.7Livingston, CA: 11.7 %Livingston, CA11.7Mendota, CA: 11.5 %Mendota, CA11.5Coalinga, CA: 11.4 %Coalinga, CA11.4Merced, CA: 11.3 %Merced, CA11.3Corcoran, CA: 11.1 %Corcoran, CA11.1Victorville, CA: 11.1 %Victorville, CA11.1Newman, CA: 11 %Newman, CA11Rio Vista, CA: 10.9 %Rio Vista, CA10.9Calabasas, CA: 10.6 %Calabasas, CA10.6Chowchilla, CA: 10.6 %Chowchilla, CA10.6Dinuba, CA: 10.6 %Dinuba, CA10.6Kerman, CA: 10.5 %Kerman, CA10.5Eureka, CA: 10.3 %Eureka, CA10.3Oakdale, CA: 10.2 %Oakdale, CA10.2Ceres, CA: 10.2 %Ceres, CA10.2Cudahy, CA: 10.1 %Cudahy, CA10.1Port Hueneme, CA: 10.1 %Port Hueneme, CA10.1Porterville, CA: 10.1 %Porterville, CA10.1Artesia, CA: 10 %Artesia, CA10Parlier, CA: 10 %Parlier, CA10El Centro, CA: 9.9 %El Centro, CA9.9Lynwood, CA: 9.8 %Lynwood, CA9.8Lawndale, CA: 9.7 %Lawndale, CA9.7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Calexico, CA19.5+1.2 pts
2California City, CA18.7+0.3 pts
3Lindsay, CA17.8+2.1 pts
4Brawley, CA15.5+0.1 pts
5Clearlake, CA14.8-2.1 pts
6Arvin, CA14+2.2 pts
7Delano, CA13.9+2.5 pts
8Reedley, CA13.4+1.1 pts
9Selma, CA13.3+1 pts
10Lemoore, CA13.1+2.4 pts
11Avenal, CA12.7+3.8 pts
12Madera, CA12.6+0.7 pts
13Atwater, CA12.3+1.3 pts
14Arcata, CA11.9-1.3 pts
15Barstow, CA11.9+1.6 pts
16Adelanto, CA11.8+0.2 pts
17Blythe, CA11.7+3.1 pts
18Livingston, CA11.7+0.9 pts
19Mendota, CA11.5-0.1 pts
20Coalinga, CA11.4-1.5 pts
21Merced, CA11.3-0.9 pts
22Corcoran, CA11.1-0.3 pts
23Victorville, CA11.1-0.5 pts
24Newman, CA11-1.5 pts
25Rio Vista, CA10.9-0.5 pts
26Calabasas, CA10.6+0.4 pts
26Chowchilla, CA10.6+1.3 pts
26Dinuba, CA10.6-0.3 pts
29Kerman, CA10.5+1.7 pts
30Eureka, CA10.3+2.6 pts
31Oakdale, CA10.2+0.7 pts
32Ceres, CA10.2-0.2 pts
33Cudahy, CA10.1+1.3 pts
34Port Hueneme, CA10.1+1.8 pts
35Porterville, CA10.1+0.9 pts
36Artesia, CA10+0.6 pts
37Parlier, CA10-0.5 pts
38El Centro, CA9.9-0 pts
39Lynwood, CA9.8+0.1 pts
40Lawndale, CA9.7+0.7 pts
41Ukiah, CA9.6+1.3 pts
42El Cajon, CA9.6+0.4 pts
43Exeter, CA9.6-4.5 pts
44Hanford, CA9.5+0.5 pts
44Huntington Park, CA9.5-0.1 pts
46Rancho Mirage, CA9.4-1.1 pts
47Hesperia, CA9.3-0.4 pts
48Susanville, CA9.3+2.4 pts
49Marysville, CA9.2+1.2 pts
50Los Alamitos, CA9.2+1.4 pts
51Coachella, CA9.2-1.2 pts
52Sanger, CA9.1-0.1 pts
53Lathrop, CA9-0 pts
54Los Banos, CA9-0.1 pts
55Lodi, CA8.9-0.1 pts
56San Jacinto, CA8.9+0.1 pts
57Fresno, CA8.9+0.2 pts
57West Hollywood, CA8.9+0.9 pts
59Mill Valley, CA8.8+0.3 pts
60Stockton, CA8.6+0.7 pts
61Riverbank, CA8.6+2 pts
62Tulare, CA8.6+0.7 pts
63San Pablo, CA8.5+0.2 pts
64Turlock, CA8.4+0.6 pts
65Suisun City, CA8.4+1.6 pts
66Richmond, CA8.4+1.3 pts
67Palmdale, CA8.3+0.9 pts
68Beverly Hills, CA8.3+0.1 pts
68Inglewood, CA8.3+0.3 pts
70Glendale, CA8.3+0.1 pts
71Banning, CA8.2+1.5 pts
72Imperial, CA8.2-0.3 pts
73Los Angeles, CA8.2+0.3 pts
74Farmersville, CA8-0.6 pts
75Chula Vista, CA8-0.8 pts
75Compton, CA8+0.9 pts
77Morro Bay, CA8-0.4 pts
78Hemet, CA8-0.3 pts
79Perris, CA7.9+0.8 pts
80McFarland, CA7.9-1.4 pts
81Hawthorne, CA7.90 pts
82Carson, CA7.8+0.9 pts
82Healdsburg, CA7.8+0.1 pts
82Maywood, CA7.8+1.4 pts
85Oroville, CA7.7+0.9 pts
86Palm Springs, CA7.7-0.5 pts
86Rialto, CA7.7-0.7 pts
88Wildomar, CA7.7-0.6 pts
89Watsonville, CA7.7-0.2 pts
90Pittsburg, CA7.6+0.1 pts
90Ridgecrest, CA7.6-1 pts
92Bellflower, CA7.6-0.1 pts
93Apple Valley, CA7.5-1.3 pts
94Anderson, CA7.5+1.3 pts
95Colton, CA7.5+0.6 pts
96Lancaster, CA7.5+0.3 pts
97South Gate, CA7.4+0.5 pts
98Antioch, CA7.4+0.3 pts
99Burbank, CA7.4+0.5 pts
99South El Monte, CA7.4-0 pts
101Vallejo, CA7.4+0.7 pts
102Grass Valley, CA7.4+3.4 pts
103La Quinta, CA7.3+0.2 pts
103Santa Maria, CA7.3+0.2 pts
105Kingsburg, CA7.3+0.3 pts
106Laguna Woods, CA7.3+0.2 pts
107Rancho Cordova, CA7.3+0.3 pts
108Shasta Lake, CA7.30 pts
109Santa Cruz, CA7.2+0.9 pts
110Westminster, CA7.2-0.1 pts
111Belmont, CA7.2+0.5 pts
111Modesto, CA7.2-0.1 pts
113Stanton, CA7.2-0.4 pts
114Red Bluff, CA7.2-3.5 pts
115La Verne, CA7.1+0.2 pts
116La Habra, CA7.1-0 pts
116Montebello, CA7.1+0.2 pts
118Imperial Beach, CA7.1-0.6 pts
119Moreno Valley, CA7.1-0.3 pts
120Laguna Niguel, CA7.1+0.4 pts
121San Anselmo, CA7.1+1.7 pts
122Wasco, CA7-0 pts
123Yucaipa, CA7+0.1 pts
124Bakersfield, CA70 pts
125Lompoc, CA7+0.2 pts
125San Luis Obispo, CA7+0.3 pts
127Hillsborough, CA7+1.2 pts
128Fortuna, CA7+0.9 pts
128Yuba City, CA7+0.3 pts
130Visalia, CA6.9+1 pts
131Covina, CA6.9+0.6 pts
132Bell, CA6.9-0.5 pts
133Chino Hills, CA6.9+0.5 pts
134Santa Paula, CA6.8+0.7 pts
135Montclair, CA6.8+0.7 pts
136Murrieta, CA6.8-0.3 pts
137Chico, CA6.8+0.2 pts
138Clayton, CA6.8-0.2 pts
138San Fernando, CA6.8-0.3 pts
140Citrus Heights, CA6.7-0.2 pts
141Santa Monica, CA6.7+0.6 pts
142Grand Terrace, CA6.7-0.2 pts
143Yucca Valley, CA6.6-0.9 pts
144Culver City, CA6.6+1 pts
144Desert Hot Springs, CA6.6-0.2 pts
146Truckee, CA6.6+0.9 pts
147National City, CA6.6-0.9 pts
148Pomona, CA6.6+0.3 pts
149Sacramento, CA6.6+0.4 pts
149Vista, CA6.6+0.2 pts
151Long Beach, CA6.5+0.1 pts
152Oxnard, CA6.5-0.1 pts
153Fontana, CA6.5-0.3 pts
153Menifee, CA6.5-0.3 pts
155Chino, CA6.5+0.7 pts
155West Covina, CA6.5+0.3 pts
157Hercules, CA6.5+1.8 pts
158Temple City, CA6.4+0.1 pts
159Emeryville, CA6.4+1.3 pts
159Moraga, CA6.4+0.3 pts
159Tehachapi, CA6.4-2.5 pts
162Elk Grove, CA6.4-0.3 pts
163Oakland, CA6.4+0.4 pts
164Palm Desert, CA6.4+0.2 pts
165Riverside, CA6.3+0.4 pts
166Oakley, CA6.3+0.8 pts
166Santa Rosa, CA6.3+0.9 pts
168Gilroy, CA6.3+0.2 pts
169Folsom, CA6.3+1.2 pts
170Ontario, CA6.3+0.3 pts
171El Monte, CA6.3-0.2 pts
171Fullerton, CA6.3-0.2 pts
171Hayward, CA6.3+0.4 pts
174Davis, CA6.3+0.7 pts
174El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA6.3+2.1 pts
174Lake Elsinore, CA6.3-0.1 pts
177La Puente, CA6.20 pts
178Laguna Hills, CA6.2-0.1 pts
179Highland, CA6.2+0.6 pts
179La Mesa, CA6.2-0.2 pts
181Loma Linda, CA6.2-0.2 pts
182Gardena, CA6.2+0.9 pts
183San Bernardino, CA6.1-0.4 pts
184Galt, CA6.1-1.1 pts
185San Francisco, CA6.1+0.5 pts
186Azusa, CA6.1+0.2 pts
187Monterey Park, CA6.1+0.4 pts
188Glendora, CA6.1-0 pts
189Baldwin Park, CA6-0.3 pts
189Monterey, CA6+0.5 pts
191Cathedral City, CA6-0.4 pts
191Walnut Creek, CA6+0.8 pts
193El Segundo, CA6+0.9 pts
193Torrance, CA6+0.5 pts
195West Sacramento, CA6+0.8 pts
196Garden Grove, CA6+0.2 pts
196San Diego, CA6+0.1 pts
198Marina, CA5.90 pts
199Bell Gardens, CA5.9-0.1 pts
199Novato, CA5.9-0.8 pts
199Seaside, CA5.9-0.6 pts
202San Gabriel, CA5.9-0.4 pts
203Rancho Cucamonga, CA5.90 pts
204Dixon, CA5.9+2.4 pts
204Irvine, CA5.9+0.3 pts
204Shafter, CA5.9-0.6 pts
207Anaheim, CA5.8+0.3 pts
207Vacaville, CA5.8-0.1 pts
209El Cerrito, CA5.8+1 pts
209Martinez, CA5.8+1.2 pts
211Manteca, CA5.8-0.7 pts
212Downey, CA5.80 pts
213Fairfield, CA5.8+0.5 pts
213Woodland, CA5.8+0.5 pts
215Brentwood, CA5.8-0.3 pts
215Rosemead, CA5.8+0.8 pts
217Patterson, CA5.8-0.2 pts
217Santa Barbara, CA5.8+1.1 pts
219Alameda, CA5.7+0.7 pts
219Temecula, CA5.7-0 pts
221Arcadia, CA5.7+0.2 pts
221Millbrae, CA5.7-0.6 pts
221Napa, CA5.7+0.2 pts
221Norwalk, CA5.7+0.1 pts
221Paramount, CA5.7+0.1 pts
226Sonoma, CA5.7-1.3 pts
227Jurupa Valley, CA5.7-0.7 pts
228Burlingame, CA5.7+1.1 pts
229Fountain Valley, CA5.7-0.7 pts
229Pasadena, CA5.7+0.3 pts
229Santa Clarita, CA5.7+0.3 pts
232Buena Park, CA5.6+0.3 pts
232Danville, CA5.6+0.8 pts
234Duarte, CA5.6-0.7 pts
234Hollister, CA5.6-0.8 pts
236Berkeley, CA5.6-0.4 pts
236Lemon Grove, CA5.6-1.9 pts
238American Canyon, CA5.6+0.1 pts
239Clovis, CA5.6-0.3 pts
240Camarillo, CA5.5+1.1 pts
240Pacific Grove, CA5.5+0.1 pts
242Carlsbad, CA5.5-0.8 pts
243Placentia, CA5.5+0.1 pts
243Rancho Palos Verdes, CA5.5+0.1 pts
243Redondo Beach, CA5.50 pts
243Tracy, CA5.5-0.4 pts
247Corona, CA5.50 pts
247Redlands, CA5.5-0.7 pts
249San Rafael, CA5.5-0.3 pts
250King City, CA5.4-0.7 pts

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

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed civilians aged 16 and over as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

An average over five years of survey responses, so it moves slowly. The official monthly and annual rates for states and counties are unemployment_rate, from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.

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: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in California by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in California by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/california-cities. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in California by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/california-cities.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in California by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/california-cities (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_california_by_2024,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in California by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/california-cities. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in California by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/california-cities
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/california-cities.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Cities in California by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which city has the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Calexico, CA, with 19.5% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Calimesa, CA, with 1.3% in 2024.

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: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Cities in California: more rankings