Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate / Cities in California

Cities in California by unemployment rate

Calexico, CA had the highest unemployment rate of 285 cities in January 2026, at 27.8%. Goleta, CA had the lowest, at 3.1%. The median was 4.9% and the figure for California was 5.4%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest27.8Calexico, CA
Lowest3.1Goleta, CA
Median4.9285 cities
California5.4History

Top 40 cities, January 2026

Calexico, CA: 27.8 %Calexico, CA27.8Reedley, CA: 19.9 %Reedley, CA19.9Delano, CA: 19.5 %Delano, CA19.5Brawley, CA: 16.9 %Brawley, CA16.9Dinuba, CA: 16.8 %Dinuba, CA16.8Soledad, CA: 15.9 %Soledad, CA15.9Watsonville, CA: 15.8 %Watsonville, CA15.8El Centro, CA: 15.2 %El Centro, CA15.2Corcoran, CA: 15 %Corcoran, CA15Salinas, CA: 13.6 %Salinas, CA13.6Porterville, CA: 13.4 %Porterville, CA13.4Wasco, CA: 13.4 %Wasco, CA13.4Los Banos, CA: 12.5 %Los Banos, CA12.5Paradise, CA: 10.9 %Paradise, CA10.9Santa Paula, CA: 10.8 %Santa Paula, CA10.8Yuba City, CA: 10 %Yuba City, CA10Patterson, CA: 9.9 %Patterson, CA9.9Atwater, CA: 9.8 %Atwater, CA9.8Sanger, CA: 9.7 %Sanger, CA9.7Madera, CA: 9.5 %Madera, CA9.5Santa Maria, CA: 9.3 %Santa Maria, CA9.3Ceres, CA: 9 %Ceres, CA9Riverbank, CA: 8.9 %Riverbank, CA8.9Coachella, CA: 8.8 %Coachella, CA8.8Hanford, CA: 8.8 %Hanford, CA8.8Merced, CA: 8.2 %Merced, CA8.2Lemoore, CA: 8.1 %Lemoore, CA8.1Adelanto, CA: 7.9 %Adelanto, CA7.9Woodland, CA: 7.7 %Woodland, CA7.7Hollister, CA: 7.6 %Hollister, CA7.6Tulare, CA: 7.6 %Tulare, CA7.6Barstow, CA: 7.4 %Barstow, CA7.4Hemet, CA: 7.4 %Hemet, CA7.4Lancaster, CA: 7.3 %Lancaster, CA7.3Stockton, CA: 7.3 %Stockton, CA7.3Galt, CA: 7.1 %Galt, CA7.1Lodi, CA: 7 %Lodi, CA7Victorville, CA: 7 %Victorville, CA7Banning, CA: 6.9 %Banning, CA6.9Twentynine Palms, CA: 6.9 %Twentynine Palms, CA6.9Calexico, CA: 27.8 %Calexico, CA27.8Reedley, CA: 19.9 %Reedley, CA19.9Delano, CA: 19.5 %Delano, CA19.5Brawley, CA: 16.9 %Brawley, CA16.9Dinuba, CA: 16.8 %Dinuba, CA16.8Soledad, CA: 15.9 %Soledad, CA15.9Watsonville, CA: 15.8 %Watsonville, CA15.8El Centro, CA: 15.2 %El Centro, CA15.2Corcoran, CA: 15 %Corcoran, CA15Salinas, CA: 13.6 %Salinas, CA13.6Porterville, CA: 13.4 %Porterville, CA13.4Wasco, CA: 13.4 %Wasco, CA13.4Los Banos, CA: 12.5 %Los Banos, CA12.5Paradise, CA: 10.9 %Paradise, CA10.9Santa Paula, CA: 10.8 %Santa Paula, CA10.8Yuba City, CA: 10 %Yuba City, CA10Patterson, CA: 9.9 %Patterson, CA9.9Atwater, CA: 9.8 %Atwater, CA9.8Sanger, CA: 9.7 %Sanger, CA9.7Madera, CA: 9.5 %Madera, CA9.5Santa Maria, CA: 9.3 %Santa Maria, CA9.3Ceres, CA: 9 %Ceres, CA9Riverbank, CA: 8.9 %Riverbank, CA8.9Coachella, CA: 8.8 %Coachella, CA8.8Hanford, CA: 8.8 %Hanford, CA8.8Merced, CA: 8.2 %Merced, CA8.2Lemoore, CA: 8.1 %Lemoore, CA8.1Adelanto, CA: 7.9 %Adelanto, CA7.9Woodland, CA: 7.7 %Woodland, CA7.7Hollister, CA: 7.6 %Hollister, CA7.6Tulare, CA: 7.6 %Tulare, CA7.6Barstow, CA: 7.4 %Barstow, CA7.4Hemet, CA: 7.4 %Hemet, CA7.4Lancaster, CA: 7.3 %Lancaster, CA7.3Stockton, CA: 7.3 %Stockton, CA7.3Galt, CA: 7.1 %Galt, CA7.1Lodi, CA: 7 %Lodi, CA7Victorville, CA: 7 %Victorville, CA7Banning, CA: 6.9 %Banning, CA6.9Twentynine Palms, CA: 6.9 %Twentynine Palms, CA6.9
%. Source: BLS, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCitiesJanuary 2026 (%)Change on January 2025
1Calexico, CA27.8-1.6 pts
2Reedley, CA19.9+1.1 pts
3Delano, CA19.50 pts
4Brawley, CA16.9+1.3 pts
5Dinuba, CA16.8-0.4 pts
6Soledad, CA15.9-0.5 pts
7Watsonville, CA15.8-0.3 pts
8El Centro, CA15.2+0.8 pts
9Corcoran, CA15-0.3 pts
10Salinas, CA13.6-0.1 pts
11Porterville, CA13.4-0.2 pts
11Wasco, CA13.4-1.5 pts
13Los Banos, CA12.5-0.3 pts
14Paradise, CA10.9+1.6 pts
15Santa Paula, CA10.8+0.2 pts
16Yuba City, CA100 pts
17Patterson, CA9.90 pts
18Atwater, CA9.8-0.7 pts
19Sanger, CA9.7-0.1 pts
20Madera, CA9.5+0.3 pts
21Santa Maria, CA9.3+0.1 pts
22Ceres, CA90 pts
23Riverbank, CA8.90 pts
24Coachella, CA8.8+0.2 pts
24Hanford, CA8.8-0.1 pts
26Merced, CA8.2-0.6 pts
27Lemoore, CA8.1+0.4 pts
28Adelanto, CA7.9-0.4 pts
29Woodland, CA7.7-0.2 pts
30Hollister, CA7.6-0.3 pts
30Tulare, CA7.6+0.2 pts
32Barstow, CA7.4+1 pts
32Hemet, CA7.4+0.1 pts
34Lancaster, CA7.3+0.1 pts
34Stockton, CA7.3-0.2 pts
36Galt, CA7.1+0.2 pts
37Lodi, CA70 pts
37Victorville, CA70 pts
39Banning, CA6.9+0.4 pts
39Twentynine Palms, CA6.9+0.3 pts
41Bakersfield, CA6.8+0.3 pts
41Burbank, CA6.8-1.1 pts
43Fresno, CA6.7+0.1 pts
44Apple Valley, CA6.6-0.4 pts
44Modesto, CA6.6-0.3 pts
46Palmdale, CA6.5-0.3 pts
46West Hollywood, CA6.5-1 pts
48Hesperia, CA6.4-0.1 pts
49Perris, CA6.3+0.8 pts
50Compton, CA6.2-0.3 pts
50San Jacinto, CA6.2+0.2 pts
52Visalia, CA6.1+0.2 pts
53Inglewood, CA60 pts
54Lompoc, CA5.9+0.1 pts
54San Bernardino, CA5.9+0.3 pts
54Turlock, CA5.9+0.1 pts
57Bell Gardens, CA5.80 pts
57Cudahy, CA5.8+0.2 pts
57Whittier, CA5.8+0.3 pts
60Bell, CA5.7-0.1 pts
60Desert Hot Springs, CA5.7-0.1 pts
60Manteca, CA5.7-0.1 pts
60Menifee, CA5.7+0.3 pts
60Moreno Valley, CA5.7+0.2 pts
60Oxnard, CA5.70 pts
60Rialto, CA5.7+0.3 pts
60Vallejo, CA5.7+0.3 pts
60Wildomar, CA5.7-0.1 pts
69Bellflower, CA5.6-0.1 pts
69Hawthorne, CA5.6-0.1 pts
69Indio, CA5.6+0.1 pts
69Lathrop, CA5.6-0.1 pts
69Los Angeles, CA5.6-0.4 pts
69Lynwood, CA5.6-0.5 pts
69Pomona, CA5.6-0.2 pts
69Suisun City, CA5.6+0.4 pts
77Agoura Hills, CA5.5-0.2 pts
77Antioch, CA5.5-0.1 pts
77Baldwin Park, CA5.5-0.2 pts
77Paramount, CA5.5-0.3 pts
77Pico Rivera, CA5.5-0.3 pts
77West Sacramento, CA5.5+0.7 pts
83Carson, CA5.4-0.2 pts
83Culver City, CA5.4-0.7 pts
83El Cajon, CA5.4+0.4 pts
83Gardena, CA5.4-0.2 pts
83Glendale, CA5.4-0.6 pts
83La Verne, CA5.4-0.4 pts
83Montebello, CA5.40 pts
90Colton, CA5.30 pts
90Covina, CA5.3-0.2 pts
90El Monte, CA5.30 pts
90Fairfield, CA5.3+0.2 pts
90Highland, CA5.30 pts
90La Puente, CA5.3-0.2 pts
90Lemon Grove, CA5.3+0.4 pts
90Monrovia, CA5.3-0.3 pts
90National City, CA5.30 pts
90Norwalk, CA5.3-0.1 pts
90Palm Desert, CA5.30 pts
90Rancho Cordova, CA5.3+0.4 pts
90Redding, CA5.30 pts
90Santa Monica, CA5.3-0.9 pts
104Beverly Hills, CA5.2-0.7 pts
104Chico, CA5.2-0.1 pts
104Citrus Heights, CA5.2+0.3 pts
104Downey, CA5.2-0.1 pts
104Gilroy, CA5.2-0.3 pts
104Jurupa Valley, CA5.2+0.2 pts
104La Quinta, CA5.2+0.1 pts
104Lake Elsinore, CA5.2+0.2 pts
104Long Beach, CA5.2-0.3 pts
104Sacramento, CA5.2+0.2 pts
104Santa Clarita, CA5.2-0.4 pts
104South Pasadena, CA5.2-0.4 pts
104Tracy, CA5.2+0.1 pts
104Walnut, CA5.2-0.1 pts
118Alhambra, CA5.1-0.4 pts
118Azusa, CA5.1-0.4 pts
118Brentwood, CA5.1+0.1 pts
118Glendora, CA5.1-0.2 pts
118Huntington Park, CA5.1-0.3 pts
118Imperial Beach, CA5.10 pts
118Maywood, CA5.1-0.4 pts
118Monterey Park, CA5.1+0.1 pts
118Murrieta, CA5.1+0.3 pts
118Oakland, CA5.1+0.1 pts
118Palm Springs, CA5.1-0.4 pts
118Pittsburg, CA5.1-0.2 pts
118San Dimas, CA5.1+0.1 pts
118Temple City, CA5.1-0.2 pts
132Chula Vista, CA5+0.3 pts
132Diamond Bar, CA5-0.1 pts
132Fontana, CA5+0.3 pts
132Montclair, CA5+0.1 pts
132Napa, CA50 pts
132Oakley, CA50 pts
132Riverside, CA5+0.2 pts
132West Covina, CA5-0.4 pts
140Cerritos, CA4.9-0.4 pts
140Eureka, CA4.9-0.1 pts
140La Mirada, CA4.9-0.3 pts
140Ontario, CA4.9+0.2 pts
140Pasadena, CA4.9-0.8 pts
140Richmond, CA4.90 pts
140Rosemead, CA4.9-0.2 pts
147Alameda, CA4.80 pts
147Arcadia, CA4.8-0.4 pts
147Beaumont, CA4.8-0.2 pts
147Cathedral City, CA4.80 pts
147Claremont, CA4.8-0.2 pts
147Clovis, CA4.8+0.1 pts
147Lakewood, CA4.8-0.4 pts
147Morgan Hill, CA4.8-0.3 pts
147Rancho Palos Verdes, CA4.8-0.2 pts
147Redondo Beach, CA4.8-0.4 pts
147South Gate, CA4.8-0.4 pts
147Vacaville, CA4.8+0.1 pts
159Chino, CA4.7+0.1 pts
159Elk Grove, CA4.7+0.2 pts
159Hayward, CA4.70 pts
159Martinez, CA4.7+0.4 pts
159Oceanside, CA4.7+0.3 pts
159Ridgecrest, CA4.7+0.3 pts
159San Leandro, CA4.70 pts
159San Pablo, CA4.7-0.1 pts
159Santa Rosa, CA4.7+0.2 pts
159Seal Beach, CA4.7-0.4 pts
159Temecula, CA4.7-0.2 pts
159Torrance, CA4.7-0.2 pts
159Yucaipa, CA4.7-0.1 pts
172El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA4.6+0.3 pts
172La Mesa, CA4.6+0.1 pts
172Lawndale, CA4.60 pts
172Lincoln, CA4.60 pts
172Los Gatos, CA4.6+0.1 pts
172Manhattan Beach, CA4.6-0.2 pts
172Norco, CA4.6+0.1 pts
172Pleasant Hill, CA4.6+0.1 pts
172San Gabriel, CA4.6-0.3 pts
172Saratoga, CA4.6-0.1 pts
172Union City, CA4.6-0.3 pts
172Westminster, CA4.6-0.2 pts
184Berkeley, CA4.5+0.1 pts
184Concord, CA4.5-0.1 pts
184Corona, CA4.50 pts
184Cupertino, CA4.5+0.4 pts
184Escondido, CA4.5+0.2 pts
184Fountain Valley, CA4.5+0.1 pts
184Novato, CA4.50 pts
184Rancho Cucamonga, CA4.5+0.1 pts
184San Diego, CA4.50 pts
184San Ramon, CA4.5+0.1 pts
184Vista, CA4.5+0.1 pts
184Walnut Creek, CA4.5+0.1 pts
196Coronado, CA4.4+0.2 pts
196Danville, CA4.4+0.2 pts
196Fullerton, CA4.4+0.1 pts
196Hercules, CA4.4-0.3 pts
196Loma Linda, CA4.4+0.4 pts
196San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA4.4+0.2 pts
196Santa Cruz, CA4.4-0.1 pts
196Santee, CA4.40 pts
196Upland, CA4.4+0.1 pts
205Brea, CA4.3+0.2 pts
205Buena Park, CA4.3+0.1 pts
205Campbell, CA4.3-0.1 pts
205Carlsbad, CA4.30 pts
205Cypress, CA4.3-0.1 pts
205Dublin, CA4.3-0.3 pts
205Folsom, CA4.3+0.2 pts
205Garden Grove, CA4.30 pts
205Los Altos, CA4.3-0.1 pts
205Newark, CA4.3+0.1 pts
205Placentia, CA4.3+0.2 pts
205Pleasanton, CA4.3-0.1 pts
205Rocklin, CA4.3+0.2 pts
205Rohnert Park, CA4.30 pts
205San Marcos, CA4.3+0.2 pts
205Windsor, CA4.3+0.1 pts
221Anaheim, CA4.2+0.1 pts
221Belmont, CA4.2-0.1 pts
221Benicia, CA4.2-0.4 pts
221Camarillo, CA4.20 pts
221Fremont, CA4.2-0.2 pts
221Irvine, CA4.2+0.1 pts
221La Habra, CA4.2+0.2 pts
221Livermore, CA4.2+0.1 pts
221Milpitas, CA4.2-0.3 pts
221Mission Viejo, CA4.2-0.1 pts
221Orange, CA4.2+0.3 pts
221Petaluma, CA4.20 pts
221Poway, CA4.2+0.2 pts
221Redlands, CA4.2-0.1 pts
221Roseville, CA4.2+0.1 pts
221San Jose, CA4.2-0.2 pts
221Simi Valley, CA4.20 pts
238Chino Hills, CA4.1+0.1 pts
238Davis, CA4.10 pts
238Eastvale, CA4.10 pts
238Huntington Beach, CA4.10 pts
238Lafayette, CA4.1-0.2 pts
238Pacifica, CA4.10 pts
238San Carlos, CA4.1+0.3 pts
238San Francisco, CA4.1-0.1 pts
238Stanton, CA4.10 pts
238Thousand Oaks, CA4.1-0.1 pts
238Tustin, CA4.1+0.2 pts
238Yorba Linda, CA4.1+0.2 pts
250Dana Point, CA40 pts

Showing the top 250 of 285. The Excel download has every row.

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed people as a percentage of the labour force, using the survey definition of unemployment: without work, available and looking for work.

More on how it is measured
  • Spain: EPA, aged 16 and over.
  • EU: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 to 74.
  • United States: civilian labour force aged 16 and over, from the Current Population Survey for the nation and from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics models, consistent with that survey, for states, counties and cities.
  • United Kingdom regions: Labour Force Survey, aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted.
  • Canada: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted, for the country and the provinces.
  • Australia: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted, for the nation and the six states; the ABS publishes no seasonally adjusted series for the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.
  • New Zealand: Household Labour Force Survey, aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted for the country and not seasonally adjusted for regional council areas.
  • Norway: Statistics Norway Labour Force Survey, aged 15 to 74, seasonally adjusted monthly figures.
  • Sweden: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 to 74, seasonally adjusted and smoothed (the series Statistics Sweden gives in its monthly release), national.
  • Switzerland: Swiss Labour Force Survey (SLFS), ILO definition, permanent resident population aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted quarterly averages, national.
  • For other countries, the source may be OECD survey-based rates, annual survey-based rates compiled by the ILO in ILOSTAT, or annual ILO modelled estimates published by the World Bank.
  • ILO modelled estimates cover ages 15 and over.
  • The World series uses those ILO modelled estimates.

Survey-based for national and Eurostat series. Available for Spain, regions, provinces, EU countries, US states, US counties, US cities (those of 25,000 or more and smaller New England cities), United Kingdom regions, Canadian provinces, Australia and its six states, New Zealand with 10 of its regions, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland (national), not Spanish municipalities. For Spanish municipalities use registered_unemployment_rate.

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. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. 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. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03) (Cities in California by unemployment rate, 2026-01) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29

MLA 9

Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03), Cities in California by unemployment rate, 2026-01. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 30 Sept. 2026, https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/california-cities?period=2026-01. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). Cities in California by unemployment rate, 2026-01. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/california-cities?period=2026-01.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03), Cities in California by unemployment rate, 2026-01 [Dataset]. Available at: https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/california-cities?period=2026-01 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_cities_in_california_by_2026,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03): Cities in California by unemployment rate, 2026-01}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/california-cities?period=2026-01. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03): Cities in California by unemployment rate, 2026-01
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/30
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/california-cities?period=2026-01
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/california-cities?period=2026-01.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. 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 using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"unemployment_rate","level":"municipality","within":"California","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=unemployment_rate&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?

Calexico, CA, with 27.8% in January 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which city has the lowest unemployment rate?

Goleta, CA, with 3.1% in January 2026.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Unemployment rate: other rankings

Cities in California: more rankings