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

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

Brawley, CA had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 376 cities in 2022, at 18.2%. Greenfield, CA had the lowest, at 1.3%. The median was 5.8% and the figure for California was 6.4%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest18.2Brawley, CA
Lowest1.3Greenfield, CA
Median5.8376 cities
California6.4History

Top 40 cities, 2022

Brawley, CA: 18.2 %Brawley, CA18.2Calexico, CA: 18.1 %Calexico, CA18.1Lindsay, CA: 17.1 %Lindsay, CA17.1California City, CA: 16.8 %California City, CA16.8Clearlake, CA: 16.7 %Clearlake, CA16.7Arcata, CA: 13.9 %Arcata, CA13.9Exeter, CA: 13.6 %Exeter, CA13.6Rio Vista, CA: 13.4 %Rio Vista, CA13.4Madera, CA: 12.8 %Madera, CA12.8Kerman, CA: 12.8 %Kerman, CA12.8Merced, CA: 12.6 %Merced, CA12.6Avenal, CA: 12 %Avenal, CA12Coachella, CA: 11.9 %Coachella, CA11.9Coalinga, CA: 11.8 %Coalinga, CA11.8Adelanto, CA: 11.4 %Adelanto, CA11.4Newman, CA: 11.4 %Newman, CA11.4Mendota, CA: 11.4 %Mendota, CA11.4Reedley, CA: 11.4 %Reedley, CA11.4Corcoran, CA: 11.2 %Corcoran, CA11.2Arvin, CA: 11.1 %Arvin, CA11.1Atwater, CA: 11 %Atwater, CA11Lemoore, CA: 11 %Lemoore, CA11Dinuba, CA: 11 %Dinuba, CA11Imperial, CA: 10.7 %Imperial, CA10.7Rancho Mirage, CA: 10.6 %Rancho Mirage, CA10.6Ceres, CA: 10.5 %Ceres, CA10.5Selma, CA: 10.3 %Selma, CA10.3Victorville, CA: 10.3 %Victorville, CA10.3El Centro, CA: 10.2 %El Centro, CA10.2Chowchilla, CA: 10.1 %Chowchilla, CA10.1Eureka, CA: 10.1 %Eureka, CA10.1Huntington Park, CA: 10.1 %Huntington Park, CA10.1Livingston, CA: 10.1 %Livingston, CA10.1Porterville, CA: 10.1 %Porterville, CA10.1Delano, CA: 9.9 %Delano, CA9.9Farmersville, CA: 9.8 %Farmersville, CA9.8Hesperia, CA: 9.8 %Hesperia, CA9.8Lynwood, CA: 9.6 %Lynwood, CA9.6Hemet, CA: 9.6 %Hemet, CA9.6Lodi, CA: 9.5 %Lodi, CA9.5Brawley, CA: 18.2 %Brawley, CA18.2Calexico, CA: 18.1 %Calexico, CA18.1Lindsay, CA: 17.1 %Lindsay, CA17.1California City, CA: 16.8 %California City, CA16.8Clearlake, CA: 16.7 %Clearlake, CA16.7Arcata, CA: 13.9 %Arcata, CA13.9Exeter, CA: 13.6 %Exeter, CA13.6Rio Vista, CA: 13.4 %Rio Vista, CA13.4Madera, CA: 12.8 %Madera, CA12.8Kerman, CA: 12.8 %Kerman, CA12.8Merced, CA: 12.6 %Merced, CA12.6Avenal, CA: 12 %Avenal, CA12Coachella, CA: 11.9 %Coachella, CA11.9Coalinga, CA: 11.8 %Coalinga, CA11.8Adelanto, CA: 11.4 %Adelanto, CA11.4Newman, CA: 11.4 %Newman, CA11.4Mendota, CA: 11.4 %Mendota, CA11.4Reedley, CA: 11.4 %Reedley, CA11.4Corcoran, CA: 11.2 %Corcoran, CA11.2Arvin, CA: 11.1 %Arvin, CA11.1Atwater, CA: 11 %Atwater, CA11Lemoore, CA: 11 %Lemoore, CA11Dinuba, CA: 11 %Dinuba, CA11Imperial, CA: 10.7 %Imperial, CA10.7Rancho Mirage, CA: 10.6 %Rancho Mirage, CA10.6Ceres, CA: 10.5 %Ceres, CA10.5Selma, CA: 10.3 %Selma, CA10.3Victorville, CA: 10.3 %Victorville, CA10.3El Centro, CA: 10.2 %El Centro, CA10.2Chowchilla, CA: 10.1 %Chowchilla, CA10.1Eureka, CA: 10.1 %Eureka, CA10.1Huntington Park, CA: 10.1 %Huntington Park, CA10.1Livingston, CA: 10.1 %Livingston, CA10.1Porterville, CA: 10.1 %Porterville, CA10.1Delano, CA: 9.9 %Delano, CA9.9Farmersville, CA: 9.8 %Farmersville, CA9.8Hesperia, CA: 9.8 %Hesperia, CA9.8Lynwood, CA: 9.6 %Lynwood, CA9.6Hemet, CA: 9.6 %Hemet, CA9.6Lodi, CA: 9.5 %Lodi, CA9.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Brawley, CA18.2-2.6 pts
2Calexico, CA18.1+0.5 pts
3Lindsay, CA17.1-3.4 pts
4California City, CA16.8-1.2 pts
5Clearlake, CA16.7-0.3 pts
6Arcata, CA13.9-0.7 pts
7Exeter, CA13.6-4.4 pts
8Rio Vista, CA13.4-1.4 pts
9Madera, CA12.8+0.8 pts
10Kerman, CA12.8+1.8 pts
11Merced, CA12.6+0.7 pts
12Avenal, CA12-0.8 pts
13Coachella, CA11.9-3 pts
14Coalinga, CA11.8+0.8 pts
15Adelanto, CA11.4-0.7 pts
15Newman, CA11.4+0.4 pts
17Mendota, CA11.4-0.4 pts
17Reedley, CA11.4-1.1 pts
19Corcoran, CA11.2+0.1 pts
20Arvin, CA11.1-0.3 pts
21Atwater, CA11-0.7 pts
22Lemoore, CA11+1.1 pts
23Dinuba, CA11+0.9 pts
24Imperial, CA10.7+3.1 pts
25Rancho Mirage, CA10.6+0.4 pts
26Ceres, CA10.5-0.2 pts
27Selma, CA10.3+1.2 pts
28Victorville, CA10.3-0.3 pts
29El Centro, CA10.2-2.2 pts
30Chowchilla, CA10.1+2.4 pts
31Eureka, CA10.1-0.1 pts
32Huntington Park, CA10.1+0.1 pts
32Livingston, CA10.1-0.1 pts
32Porterville, CA10.1-2.3 pts
35Delano, CA9.9-1.2 pts
36Farmersville, CA9.8-1.8 pts
37Hesperia, CA9.8-0.3 pts
38Lynwood, CA9.6+0.1 pts
39Hemet, CA9.6-1.1 pts
40Lodi, CA9.5-0.1 pts
41Calabasas, CA9.5-0.5 pts
42Watsonville, CA9.4+1.3 pts
43Rialto, CA9.3-0.8 pts
44Grand Terrace, CA9.3+0.2 pts
45Cudahy, CA9.2+0.6 pts
46Ridgecrest, CA9.2+1.5 pts
47Apple Valley, CA9.2-1 pts
47Morro Bay, CA9.2-0.6 pts
49Barstow, CA9.1-2 pts
50Artesia, CA9.1+0.3 pts
51Fresno, CA9-0.3 pts
52Lathrop, CA9-0.6 pts
53Port Hueneme, CA8.9+1.8 pts
54Chula Vista, CA8.8-0.7 pts
55Red Bluff, CA8.7-0.7 pts
56Palm Springs, CA8.6+0.2 pts
56Wasco, CA8.6-0.9 pts
58Tulare, CA8.6+1.1 pts
59Beverly Hills, CA8.6+0.3 pts
60Oakdale, CA8.6-0.8 pts
60Tehachapi, CA8.6+0.2 pts
62National City, CA8.4+0.1 pts
63Bellflower, CA8.4+0.6 pts
64Banning, CA8.4+0.9 pts
65Ukiah, CA8.4-0.3 pts
66Laguna Woods, CA8.4+1.5 pts
67San Jacinto, CA8.3-0.5 pts
68Lawndale, CA8.3+0.5 pts
69Inglewood, CA8.2+0.5 pts
70Sanger, CA8.2+1.8 pts
71Hanford, CA8.2-0.2 pts
71Lemon Grove, CA8.2+0.1 pts
73Shasta Lake, CA8.2+0.3 pts
74Glendale, CA8.1+0.4 pts
75El Cajon, CA8.1-0.5 pts
76La Quinta, CA8.1-0.3 pts
77West Hollywood, CA8+0.1 pts
78Lompoc, CA8-1 pts
79Compton, CA7.9-0.3 pts
80South Gate, CA7.9-0.8 pts
81San Pablo, CA7.9+0.9 pts
82Blythe, CA7.9-0.1 pts
82Los Banos, CA7.9-1.7 pts
84Antioch, CA7.9-0.9 pts
85Modesto, CA7.8-0.2 pts
86Los Angeles, CA7.8+0.1 pts
87Stockton, CA7.7-0.3 pts
88Yuba City, CA7.7+0.2 pts
89Marysville, CA7.7+1.4 pts
90Yucca Valley, CA7.6-2.6 pts
91Turlock, CA7.6-0.7 pts
92San Bernardino, CA7.6-0.9 pts
93Westminster, CA7.6-0.4 pts
94Oroville, CA7.5-1.3 pts
95Moreno Valley, CA7.5-0.5 pts
96Lancaster, CA7.5+0.2 pts
97Hawthorne, CA7.5-0.2 pts
98Patterson, CA7.5+0.3 pts
99Palmdale, CA7.4-0.2 pts
100Desert Hot Springs, CA7.4-2.3 pts
101Colton, CA7.40 pts
101Los Alamitos, CA7.4-0.2 pts
103Mill Valley, CA7.4+3.8 pts
103Stanton, CA7.4-0.3 pts
105Susanville, CA7.3+1.7 pts
106Indio, CA7.3-1.4 pts
107Imperial Beach, CA7.2+0.4 pts
108La Habra, CA7.2+0.2 pts
108Loma Linda, CA7.2-0.2 pts
110Pittsburg, CA7.2-0.1 pts
111Seaside, CA7.1-0.2 pts
111Shafter, CA7.1-0 pts
113Baldwin Park, CA7.1+0.3 pts
113Menifee, CA7.1-0.1 pts
115Perris, CA7.1-0.1 pts
115San Fernando, CA7.1+1.7 pts
117Bakersfield, CA7.1-0.5 pts
118El Monte, CA7-0.1 pts
119Vallejo, CA7-0.5 pts
120Lake Elsinore, CA6.9-0.4 pts
121Parlier, CA6.9+2 pts
121Richmond, CA6.9-0 pts
123Chico, CA6.9-0.3 pts
124Suisun City, CA6.9+0.6 pts
125Carson, CA6.9-0.2 pts
125Fullerton, CA6.9-0.4 pts
125San Luis Obispo, CA6.9-0 pts
128Jurupa Valley, CA6.8-0.4 pts
128Yucaipa, CA6.8-0.1 pts
130Montebello, CA6.80 pts
130San Gabriel, CA6.8-0 pts
132Laguna Beach, CA6.8+0.7 pts
133Murrieta, CA6.7-0.5 pts
133South El Monte, CA6.7+1.1 pts
135West Covina, CA6.7+0.1 pts
136Burbank, CA6.7-0.2 pts
137Long Beach, CA6.6-0.3 pts
138Bell, CA6.5-0 pts
138Belmont, CA6.5+0.3 pts
140Pomona, CA6.5-0.1 pts
141La Mesa, CA6.5-0.6 pts
142Novato, CA6.5+1.1 pts
143Wildomar, CA6.5-0.6 pts
144Santa Paula, CA6.5-0.4 pts
145Palm Desert, CA6.5+0.3 pts
145Redlands, CA6.5+0.2 pts
147Manteca, CA6.4-0.1 pts
148La Verne, CA6.4-0.9 pts
149Elk Grove, CA6.4+0.1 pts
149Hollister, CA6.4-1.6 pts
151McFarland, CA6.4-1.6 pts
152Montclair, CA6.4-1.4 pts
153Citrus Heights, CA6.3-0.5 pts
153Lafayette, CA6.3-0.1 pts
153Twentynine Palms, CA6.3-1.7 pts
156Vista, CA6.3+0.5 pts
157Santa Maria, CA6.3-0.1 pts
158Sacramento, CA6.3-0.7 pts
159Clovis, CA6.3-0.2 pts
160Fontana, CA6.2-0 pts
161Temple City, CA6.2+0.5 pts
162Santa Monica, CA6.2-0.4 pts
163Chino Hills, CA6.2+0.3 pts
164Santa Cruz, CA6.2-0.9 pts
165Cathedral City, CA6.2-0.3 pts
166Rancho Cordova, CA6.1-1.2 pts
167Glendora, CA6.1+0.2 pts
168Healdsburg, CA6.1+0.3 pts
168Riverside, CA6.1-0.3 pts
168Sonoma, CA6.1+1.7 pts
171San Diego, CA6.1-0.2 pts
172Azusa, CA6.1-0.3 pts
173Fountain Valley, CA6+0.5 pts
174La Puente, CA6-1.3 pts
175Highland, CA6-0.3 pts
176Brentwood, CA6-0.4 pts
176Carlsbad, CA6-0.1 pts
178Galt, CA6-1.6 pts
179Oxnard, CA5.9-0.6 pts
179Tustin, CA5.9+0.5 pts
181Gilroy, CA5.9+0.4 pts
182Poway, CA5.9-1.1 pts
183Marina, CA5.9-0.3 pts
183Oakley, CA5.9-0.4 pts
185Redding, CA5.90 pts
186Oceanside, CA5.9-0.4 pts
186Riverbank, CA5.9-1 pts
188Napa, CA5.8+0.7 pts
188Ontario, CA5.8-0.4 pts
190Duarte, CA5.8-0.7 pts
190Monrovia, CA5.8+0.2 pts
192Oakland, CA5.8-0.4 pts
193Garden Grove, CA5.80 pts
193Monterey Park, CA5.8-0.2 pts
195Temecula, CA5.8-0.3 pts
196Bell Gardens, CA5.8-0 pts
196Davis, CA5.8-0.8 pts
198Paradise, CA5.7-2.1 pts
199Hayward, CA5.7+0.3 pts
200Covina, CA5.7-1.2 pts
200Truckee, CA5.7+1.3 pts
202Lakewood, CA5.70 pts
203Santa Rosa, CA5.6+0.1 pts
204Claremont, CA5.6-0.7 pts
205Maywood, CA5.6-0.1 pts
206Downey, CA5.6-0.7 pts
206Visalia, CA5.6-0.2 pts
208Norwalk, CA5.6-0.2 pts
208Pacific Grove, CA5.6+0.1 pts
210Beaumont, CA5.6-1.2 pts
210Irvine, CA5.6-0.1 pts
210Santa Clarita, CA5.6-0 pts
213Fairfield, CA5.5-0.5 pts
214El Cerrito, CA5.50 pts
214Laguna Niguel, CA5.5-0.2 pts
216Alhambra, CA5.5+0.2 pts
217Kingsburg, CA5.5-0.1 pts
218Santa Ana, CA5.5+0.2 pts
219Berkeley, CA5.5-0.5 pts
219Chino, CA5.5-0.1 pts
221Cerritos, CA5.5-0.5 pts
221Clayton, CA5.5+1 pts
221West Sacramento, CA5.5-0.4 pts
224Agoura Hills, CA5.4+0.6 pts
224Buena Park, CA5.4-0 pts
224Huntington Beach, CA5.4-0.1 pts
227Rancho Cucamonga, CA5.4+0.3 pts
228Santee, CA5.4-0.8 pts
228Tracy, CA5.4+0.8 pts
228Vacaville, CA5.4+0.8 pts
231El Segundo, CA5.4-0.6 pts
232San Anselmo, CA5.4+0.7 pts
233Arcadia, CA5.4-0.2 pts
234Anaheim, CA5.4-0.2 pts
234Hillsborough, CA5.4+0.9 pts
236Daly City, CA5.4+0.2 pts
236San Francisco, CA5.4+0.1 pts
238Torrance, CA5.3-0.2 pts
239Millbrae, CA5.3+0.5 pts
240Moraga, CA5.30 pts
241Fortuna, CA5.3-1.9 pts
241Whittier, CA5.3+0.3 pts
243Paramount, CA5.3+0.2 pts
243San Clemente, CA5.3+0.6 pts
243San Dimas, CA5.3+0.5 pts
246South Pasadena, CA5.2+0.2 pts
247Culver City, CA5.2-0.9 pts
248Diamond Bar, CA5.20 pts
248Pasadena, CA5.2-0.1 pts
250Moorpark, CA5.1-0.3 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/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-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), 2022) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-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), 2022. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2022. 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), 2022. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2022.

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), 2022 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_california_by_2022,
  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), 2022}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2022. 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/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-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), 2022
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2022.
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/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-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)?

Brawley, CA, with 18.2% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Greenfield, CA, with 1.3% in 2022.

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