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

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

California City, CA had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 376 cities in 2023, at 18.5%. Calimesa, CA had the lowest, at 1.4%. The median was 6% and the figure for California was 6.4%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest18.5California City, CA
Lowest1.4Calimesa, CA
Median6376 cities
California6.4History

Top 40 cities, 2023

California City, CA: 18.5 %California City, CA18.5Calexico, CA: 18.3 %Calexico, CA18.3Clearlake, CA: 16.9 %Clearlake, CA16.9Lindsay, CA: 15.8 %Lindsay, CA15.8Brawley, CA: 15.5 %Brawley, CA15.5Exeter, CA: 14 %Exeter, CA14Arcata, CA: 13.2 %Arcata, CA13.2Coalinga, CA: 12.8 %Coalinga, CA12.8Newman, CA: 12.5 %Newman, CA12.5Reedley, CA: 12.4 %Reedley, CA12.4Selma, CA: 12.3 %Selma, CA12.3Merced, CA: 12.3 %Merced, CA12.3Madera, CA: 11.9 %Madera, CA11.9Arvin, CA: 11.9 %Arvin, CA11.9Mendota, CA: 11.6 %Mendota, CA11.6Adelanto, CA: 11.6 %Adelanto, CA11.6Victorville, CA: 11.6 %Victorville, CA11.6Corcoran, CA: 11.4 %Corcoran, CA11.4Rio Vista, CA: 11.4 %Rio Vista, CA11.4Delano, CA: 11.4 %Delano, CA11.4Atwater, CA: 11 %Atwater, CA11Dinuba, CA: 10.9 %Dinuba, CA10.9Livingston, CA: 10.8 %Livingston, CA10.8Lemoore, CA: 10.7 %Lemoore, CA10.7Red Bluff, CA: 10.6 %Red Bluff, CA10.6Parlier, CA: 10.5 %Parlier, CA10.5Rancho Mirage, CA: 10.5 %Rancho Mirage, CA10.5Ceres, CA: 10.4 %Ceres, CA10.4Coachella, CA: 10.4 %Coachella, CA10.4Barstow, CA: 10.3 %Barstow, CA10.3Calabasas, CA: 10.2 %Calabasas, CA10.2El Centro, CA: 9.9 %El Centro, CA9.9Lynwood, CA: 9.8 %Lynwood, CA9.8Hesperia, CA: 9.7 %Hesperia, CA9.7Huntington Park, CA: 9.6 %Huntington Park, CA9.6Oakdale, CA: 9.5 %Oakdale, CA9.5Artesia, CA: 9.4 %Artesia, CA9.4McFarland, CA: 9.3 %McFarland, CA9.3Sanger, CA: 9.2 %Sanger, CA9.2Chowchilla, CA: 9.2 %Chowchilla, CA9.2California City, CA: 18.5 %California City, CA18.5Calexico, CA: 18.3 %Calexico, CA18.3Clearlake, CA: 16.9 %Clearlake, CA16.9Lindsay, CA: 15.8 %Lindsay, CA15.8Brawley, CA: 15.5 %Brawley, CA15.5Exeter, CA: 14 %Exeter, CA14Arcata, CA: 13.2 %Arcata, CA13.2Coalinga, CA: 12.8 %Coalinga, CA12.8Newman, CA: 12.5 %Newman, CA12.5Reedley, CA: 12.4 %Reedley, CA12.4Selma, CA: 12.3 %Selma, CA12.3Merced, CA: 12.3 %Merced, CA12.3Madera, CA: 11.9 %Madera, CA11.9Arvin, CA: 11.9 %Arvin, CA11.9Mendota, CA: 11.6 %Mendota, CA11.6Adelanto, CA: 11.6 %Adelanto, CA11.6Victorville, CA: 11.6 %Victorville, CA11.6Corcoran, CA: 11.4 %Corcoran, CA11.4Rio Vista, CA: 11.4 %Rio Vista, CA11.4Delano, CA: 11.4 %Delano, CA11.4Atwater, CA: 11 %Atwater, CA11Dinuba, CA: 10.9 %Dinuba, CA10.9Livingston, CA: 10.8 %Livingston, CA10.8Lemoore, CA: 10.7 %Lemoore, CA10.7Red Bluff, CA: 10.6 %Red Bluff, CA10.6Parlier, CA: 10.5 %Parlier, CA10.5Rancho Mirage, CA: 10.5 %Rancho Mirage, CA10.5Ceres, CA: 10.4 %Ceres, CA10.4Coachella, CA: 10.4 %Coachella, CA10.4Barstow, CA: 10.3 %Barstow, CA10.3Calabasas, CA: 10.2 %Calabasas, CA10.2El Centro, CA: 9.9 %El Centro, CA9.9Lynwood, CA: 9.8 %Lynwood, CA9.8Hesperia, CA: 9.7 %Hesperia, CA9.7Huntington Park, CA: 9.6 %Huntington Park, CA9.6Oakdale, CA: 9.5 %Oakdale, CA9.5Artesia, CA: 9.4 %Artesia, CA9.4McFarland, CA: 9.3 %McFarland, CA9.3Sanger, CA: 9.2 %Sanger, CA9.2Chowchilla, CA: 9.2 %Chowchilla, CA9.2
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2023 (%)Change on 2022
1California City, CA18.5+1.6 pts
2Calexico, CA18.3+0.2 pts
3Clearlake, CA16.9+0.2 pts
4Lindsay, CA15.8-1.3 pts
5Brawley, CA15.5-2.7 pts
6Exeter, CA14+0.4 pts
7Arcata, CA13.2-0.6 pts
8Coalinga, CA12.8+1.1 pts
9Newman, CA12.5+1.1 pts
10Reedley, CA12.4+1 pts
11Selma, CA12.3+2 pts
12Merced, CA12.3-0.3 pts
13Madera, CA11.9-0.9 pts
14Arvin, CA11.9+0.8 pts
15Mendota, CA11.6+0.3 pts
16Adelanto, CA11.6+0.2 pts
17Victorville, CA11.6+1.3 pts
18Corcoran, CA11.4+0.2 pts
19Rio Vista, CA11.4-2 pts
20Delano, CA11.4+1.5 pts
21Atwater, CA11-0 pts
22Dinuba, CA10.9-0.1 pts
23Livingston, CA10.8+0.7 pts
24Lemoore, CA10.7-0.4 pts
25Red Bluff, CA10.6+1.9 pts
26Parlier, CA10.5+3.6 pts
26Rancho Mirage, CA10.5-0.1 pts
28Ceres, CA10.4-0.1 pts
29Coachella, CA10.4-1.5 pts
30Barstow, CA10.3+1.2 pts
31Calabasas, CA10.2+0.7 pts
32El Centro, CA9.9-0.3 pts
33Lynwood, CA9.8+0.1 pts
34Hesperia, CA9.7-0.1 pts
35Huntington Park, CA9.6-0.5 pts
36Oakdale, CA9.5+0.9 pts
37Artesia, CA9.4+0.3 pts
38McFarland, CA9.3+2.9 pts
39Sanger, CA9.2+1 pts
40Chowchilla, CA9.2-0.9 pts
41El Cajon, CA9.2+1 pts
42Porterville, CA9.1-0.9 pts
43Lathrop, CA9+0.1 pts
44Los Banos, CA9+1.2 pts
45Hanford, CA9+0.8 pts
46Lodi, CA9-0.5 pts
47Lawndale, CA8.9+0.7 pts
48Tehachapi, CA8.9+0.3 pts
49Cudahy, CA8.9-0.4 pts
50Avenal, CA8.9-3.2 pts
51San Jacinto, CA8.8+0.5 pts
52Apple Valley, CA8.8-0.3 pts
53Chula Vista, CA8.8-0 pts
54Kerman, CA8.7-4 pts
55Fresno, CA8.7-0.4 pts
56Blythe, CA8.6+0.8 pts
56Farmersville, CA8.6-1.1 pts
56Ridgecrest, CA8.6-0.5 pts
59Imperial, CA8.5-2.2 pts
60Mill Valley, CA8.4+1 pts
61Rialto, CA8.4-0.8 pts
62Morro Bay, CA8.4-0.8 pts
63Ukiah, CA8.3-0.1 pts
64Port Hueneme, CA8.3-0.6 pts
65Hemet, CA8.3-1.3 pts
65San Pablo, CA8.3+0.4 pts
67Wildomar, CA8.3+1.8 pts
68Glendale, CA8.20 pts
68Palm Springs, CA8.2-0.4 pts
70Beverly Hills, CA8.2-0.4 pts
71Marysville, CA8.1+0.4 pts
72Stockton, CA8+0.3 pts
73West Hollywood, CA8-0.1 pts
74Inglewood, CA7.9-0.3 pts
75Los Angeles, CA7.9+0.2 pts
76Tulare, CA7.9-0.7 pts
77Watsonville, CA7.9-1.6 pts
78Hawthorne, CA7.8+0.3 pts
79Turlock, CA7.8+0.2 pts
80Bellflower, CA7.8-0.7 pts
81Los Alamitos, CA7.8+0.4 pts
82Healdsburg, CA7.7+1.7 pts
82Imperial Beach, CA7.7+0.5 pts
84Eureka, CA7.7-2.4 pts
85Stanton, CA7.6+0.2 pts
86Yucca Valley, CA7.5-0.1 pts
87Pittsburg, CA7.5+0.4 pts
88National City, CA7.5-0.9 pts
89South El Monte, CA7.5+0.7 pts
90Lemon Grove, CA7.5-0.7 pts
91Palmdale, CA7.4-0 pts
92Bell, CA7.4+0.8 pts
92Moreno Valley, CA7.4-0.2 pts
94Westminster, CA7.4-0.2 pts
95Modesto, CA7.3-0.5 pts
96Shasta Lake, CA7.3-0.9 pts
97Galt, CA7.2+1.2 pts
98Lancaster, CA7.2-0.3 pts
98Perris, CA7.20 pts
100La Habra, CA7.1-0 pts
101Antioch, CA7.1-0.7 pts
102Compton, CA7.1-0.8 pts
103La Quinta, CA7.1-1 pts
104Santa Maria, CA7.1+0.8 pts
104Wasco, CA7.1-1.5 pts
106Murrieta, CA7.1+0.3 pts
107San Fernando, CA7.1-0.1 pts
108Richmond, CA7+0.1 pts
108Sonoma, CA7+1 pts
110Laguna Woods, CA7-1.3 pts
111Rancho Cordova, CA7+0.9 pts
112Bakersfield, CA7-0.1 pts
112Kingsburg, CA7+1.5 pts
114Citrus Heights, CA7+0.6 pts
115Clayton, CA7+1.5 pts
115South Gate, CA7-0.9 pts
115Yucaipa, CA7+0.2 pts
118Burbank, CA6.9+0.3 pts
118La Verne, CA6.9+0.5 pts
120Colton, CA6.9-0.5 pts
121Montebello, CA6.9+0.1 pts
122Carson, CA6.90 pts
123Grand Terrace, CA6.9-2.4 pts
124Oroville, CA6.8-0.7 pts
124Susanville, CA6.8-0.5 pts
126Suisun City, CA6.8-0 pts
127Menifee, CA6.8-0.3 pts
128Lompoc, CA6.8-1.2 pts
129Desert Hot Springs, CA6.8-0.6 pts
130Fontana, CA6.8+0.5 pts
131Banning, CA6.8-1.7 pts
132Novato, CA6.7+0.2 pts
133Vallejo, CA6.7-0.2 pts
134Yuba City, CA6.7-1 pts
135Belmont, CA6.7+0.2 pts
135Elk Grove, CA6.7+0.3 pts
137Laguna Niguel, CA6.7+1.2 pts
138San Luis Obispo, CA6.7-0.2 pts
139Oxnard, CA6.6+0.7 pts
139Riverbank, CA6.6+0.8 pts
141Chico, CA6.6-0.3 pts
142Seaside, CA6.5-0.6 pts
143Fullerton, CA6.5-0.4 pts
143Manteca, CA6.5+0.1 pts
145San Bernardino, CA6.5-1.1 pts
145Shafter, CA6.5-0.6 pts
147Long Beach, CA6.5-0.1 pts
148El Monte, CA6.4-0.6 pts
149Jurupa Valley, CA6.4-0.4 pts
150Loma Linda, CA6.4-0.8 pts
151Lake Elsinore, CA6.4-0.5 pts
152Cathedral City, CA6.4+0.2 pts
153Maywood, CA6.4+0.8 pts
153Vista, CA6.4+0.1 pts
155Hollister, CA6.4-0 pts
156Fountain Valley, CA6.4+0.3 pts
156La Mesa, CA6.4-0.2 pts
156Temple City, CA6.4+0.1 pts
159Baldwin Park, CA6.3-0.8 pts
160Chino Hills, CA6.3+0.2 pts
161Pomona, CA6.3-0.2 pts
161Santa Cruz, CA6.3+0.1 pts
163Covina, CA6.3+0.6 pts
164Duarte, CA6.3+0.5 pts
165Millbrae, CA6.3+1 pts
166Carlsbad, CA6.3+0.3 pts
166San Gabriel, CA6.3-0.5 pts
168Laguna Hills, CA6.3+1.2 pts
169Anderson, CA6.2+1.9 pts
170Beaumont, CA6.2+0.7 pts
171La Puente, CA6.2+0.2 pts
171West Covina, CA6.2-0.5 pts
173King City, CA6.2+1.1 pts
173Redlands, CA6.2-0.3 pts
175Moraga, CA6.2+0.9 pts
175Sacramento, CA6.2-0.1 pts
177Gilroy, CA6.1+0.2 pts
177Palm Desert, CA6.1-0.3 pts
179Santa Paula, CA6.1-0.4 pts
180Montclair, CA6.1-0.3 pts
181Fortuna, CA6.1+0.8 pts
181Santa Monica, CA6.1-0.1 pts
183Glendora, CA6.1-0.1 pts
184Brentwood, CA6.1+0.1 pts
185Berkeley, CA6+0.5 pts
186Bell Gardens, CA6+0.3 pts
187Oakland, CA6+0.2 pts
188Patterson, CA6-1.5 pts
188Riverside, CA6-0.1 pts
190Ontario, CA6+0.1 pts
191Vacaville, CA6+0.5 pts
192Visalia, CA5.9+0.3 pts
193Marina, CA5.9-0 pts
193Tracy, CA5.9+0.5 pts
195Clovis, CA5.9-0.4 pts
196Hayward, CA5.9+0.2 pts
196San Diego, CA5.9-0.2 pts
198Azusa, CA5.9-0.2 pts
199Rancho Cucamonga, CA5.8+0.4 pts
200Chino, CA5.8+0.3 pts
200San Rafael, CA5.8+1 pts
202Claremont, CA5.8+0.1 pts
202Downey, CA5.8+0.2 pts
204Garden Grove, CA5.8-0 pts
204Hillsborough, CA5.8+0.4 pts
204Temecula, CA5.8-0 pts
207Truckee, CA5.70 pts
208Monterey Park, CA5.7-0.1 pts
209Culver City, CA5.6+0.5 pts
210Hermosa Beach, CA5.6+0.7 pts
210Highland, CA5.6-0.4 pts
210San Francisco, CA5.6+0.3 pts
210San Leandro, CA5.6+0.7 pts
214Alhambra, CA5.6+0.1 pts
214Davis, CA5.6-0.2 pts
214Paramount, CA5.6+0.3 pts
217Norwalk, CA5.6-0 pts
218Anaheim, CA5.5+0.2 pts
218Irvine, CA5.5-0 pts
220Lakewood, CA5.5-0.2 pts
220Oakley, CA5.5-0.4 pts
220Torrance, CA5.5+0.2 pts
223Arcadia, CA5.5+0.1 pts
223Placerville, CA5.5+0.5 pts
225Monterey, CA5.5+0.6 pts
226American Canyon, CA5.5+0.5 pts
227Napa, CA5.5-0.4 pts
227Redondo Beach, CA5.5+0.5 pts
229Agoura Hills, CA5.50 pts
229Santa Rosa, CA5.5-0.2 pts
231Corona, CA5.4+0.9 pts
231Placentia, CA5.4+0.4 pts
233Rancho Palos Verdes, CA5.4+0.4 pts
234Huntington Beach, CA5.4-0 pts
234Pacific Grove, CA5.4-0.2 pts
236Laguna Beach, CA5.4-1.3 pts
237Whittier, CA5.4+0.1 pts
238Oceanside, CA5.4-0.5 pts
239San Anselmo, CA5.4-0 pts
239Tustin, CA5.4-0.6 pts
241Pasadena, CA5.4+0.2 pts
242Woodland, CA5.3+0.4 pts
243Santa Clarita, CA5.3-0.2 pts
244Buena Park, CA5.3-0.1 pts
245Fairfield, CA5.3-0.2 pts
246Redding, CA5.3-0.6 pts
246Upland, CA5.3+0.3 pts
248Poway, CA5.3-0.6 pts
249Signal Hill, CA5.3+0.7 pts
250Brea, CA5.2+0.2 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/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: 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), 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: 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), 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/unemployment-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: 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), 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/unemployment-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2023.

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), 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/unemployment-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: 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), 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/unemployment-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2023. 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/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: 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), 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/unemployment-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2023.
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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Cities in California by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"unemployment_rate_acs","level":"municipality","within":"California","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=unemployment_rate_acs&level=municipality&within=California&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

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

California City, CA, with 18.5% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Calimesa, CA, with 1.4% 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: 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