Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate / Cities in California

Cities in California by unemployment rate

Calexico, CA had the highest unemployment rate of 285 cities in February 2026, at 26.5%. Goleta, CA had the lowest, at 2.9%. The median was 4.9% and the figure for California was 5.4%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest26.5Calexico, CA
Lowest2.9Goleta, CA
Median4.9285 cities
California5.4History

Top 40 cities, February 2026

Calexico, CA: 26.5 %Calexico, CA26.5Delano, CA: 23.7 %Delano, CA23.7Reedley, CA: 21.6 %Reedley, CA21.6Dinuba, CA: 17.3 %Dinuba, CA17.3Watsonville, CA: 17.2 %Watsonville, CA17.2Corcoran, CA: 16.6 %Corcoran, CA16.6Brawley, CA: 16.4 %Brawley, CA16.4Soledad, CA: 15.4 %Soledad, CA15.4Porterville, CA: 14.7 %Porterville, CA14.7El Centro, CA: 14.3 %El Centro, CA14.3Salinas, CA: 14.2 %Salinas, CA14.2Wasco, CA: 14.2 %Wasco, CA14.2Los Banos, CA: 13.7 %Los Banos, CA13.7Paradise, CA: 10.4 %Paradise, CA10.4Patterson, CA: 10.3 %Patterson, CA10.3Yuba City, CA: 10 %Yuba City, CA10Sanger, CA: 9.9 %Sanger, CA9.9Santa Paula, CA: 9.9 %Santa Paula, CA9.9Atwater, CA: 9.7 %Atwater, CA9.7Madera, CA: 9.5 %Madera, CA9.5Hanford, CA: 9.1 %Hanford, CA9.1Santa Maria, CA: 8.9 %Santa Maria, CA8.9Riverbank, CA: 8.8 %Riverbank, CA8.8Ceres, CA: 8.6 %Ceres, CA8.6Coachella, CA: 8.1 %Coachella, CA8.1Merced, CA: 8.1 %Merced, CA8.1Lemoore, CA: 7.8 %Lemoore, CA7.8Adelanto, CA: 7.7 %Adelanto, CA7.7Hollister, CA: 7.7 %Hollister, CA7.7Woodland, CA: 7.7 %Woodland, CA7.7Tulare, CA: 7.4 %Tulare, CA7.4Hemet, CA: 7.3 %Hemet, CA7.3Lancaster, CA: 7.3 %Lancaster, CA7.3Barstow, CA: 7.2 %Barstow, CA7.2Stockton, CA: 7.2 %Stockton, CA7.2Victorville, CA: 7 %Victorville, CA7Burbank, CA: 6.9 %Burbank, CA6.9Lodi, CA: 6.8 %Lodi, CA6.8Banning, CA: 6.7 %Banning, CA6.7Twentynine Palms, CA: 6.7 %Twentynine Palms, CA6.7Calexico, CA: 26.5 %Calexico, CA26.5Delano, CA: 23.7 %Delano, CA23.7Reedley, CA: 21.6 %Reedley, CA21.6Dinuba, CA: 17.3 %Dinuba, CA17.3Watsonville, CA: 17.2 %Watsonville, CA17.2Corcoran, CA: 16.6 %Corcoran, CA16.6Brawley, CA: 16.4 %Brawley, CA16.4Soledad, CA: 15.4 %Soledad, CA15.4Porterville, CA: 14.7 %Porterville, CA14.7El Centro, CA: 14.3 %El Centro, CA14.3Salinas, CA: 14.2 %Salinas, CA14.2Wasco, CA: 14.2 %Wasco, CA14.2Los Banos, CA: 13.7 %Los Banos, CA13.7Paradise, CA: 10.4 %Paradise, CA10.4Patterson, CA: 10.3 %Patterson, CA10.3Yuba City, CA: 10 %Yuba City, CA10Sanger, CA: 9.9 %Sanger, CA9.9Santa Paula, CA: 9.9 %Santa Paula, CA9.9Atwater, CA: 9.7 %Atwater, CA9.7Madera, CA: 9.5 %Madera, CA9.5Hanford, CA: 9.1 %Hanford, CA9.1Santa Maria, CA: 8.9 %Santa Maria, CA8.9Riverbank, CA: 8.8 %Riverbank, CA8.8Ceres, CA: 8.6 %Ceres, CA8.6Coachella, CA: 8.1 %Coachella, CA8.1Merced, CA: 8.1 %Merced, CA8.1Lemoore, CA: 7.8 %Lemoore, CA7.8Adelanto, CA: 7.7 %Adelanto, CA7.7Hollister, CA: 7.7 %Hollister, CA7.7Woodland, CA: 7.7 %Woodland, CA7.7Tulare, CA: 7.4 %Tulare, CA7.4Hemet, CA: 7.3 %Hemet, CA7.3Lancaster, CA: 7.3 %Lancaster, CA7.3Barstow, CA: 7.2 %Barstow, CA7.2Stockton, CA: 7.2 %Stockton, CA7.2Victorville, CA: 7 %Victorville, CA7Burbank, CA: 6.9 %Burbank, CA6.9Lodi, CA: 6.8 %Lodi, CA6.8Banning, CA: 6.7 %Banning, CA6.7Twentynine Palms, CA: 6.7 %Twentynine Palms, CA6.7
%. Source: BLS, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCitiesFebruary 2026 (%)Change on February 2025
1Calexico, CA26.5-2.3 pts
2Delano, CA23.7-0.8 pts
3Reedley, CA21.6-0.2 pts
4Dinuba, CA17.3-1.2 pts
5Watsonville, CA17.2-0.9 pts
6Corcoran, CA16.6-0.1 pts
7Brawley, CA16.4+2.2 pts
8Soledad, CA15.4-1.3 pts
9Porterville, CA14.7-0.5 pts
10El Centro, CA14.3+0.6 pts
11Salinas, CA14.2-0.5 pts
11Wasco, CA14.2-1.8 pts
13Los Banos, CA13.7-1.1 pts
14Paradise, CA10.4+0.8 pts
15Patterson, CA10.3-0.1 pts
16Yuba City, CA10-0.6 pts
17Sanger, CA9.9-0.2 pts
17Santa Paula, CA9.9+0.1 pts
19Atwater, CA9.7-0.7 pts
20Madera, CA9.50 pts
21Hanford, CA9.1-0.2 pts
22Santa Maria, CA8.9-0.3 pts
23Riverbank, CA8.8-0.2 pts
24Ceres, CA8.6-0.3 pts
25Coachella, CA8.1-0.1 pts
25Merced, CA8.1-0.7 pts
27Lemoore, CA7.8-0.1 pts
28Adelanto, CA7.7-0.6 pts
28Hollister, CA7.7-0.7 pts
28Woodland, CA7.7-0.1 pts
31Tulare, CA7.4+0.1 pts
32Hemet, CA7.3+0.1 pts
32Lancaster, CA7.30 pts
34Barstow, CA7.2+0.9 pts
34Stockton, CA7.2-0.4 pts
36Victorville, CA70 pts
37Burbank, CA6.9-0.7 pts
38Lodi, CA6.8-0.1 pts
39Banning, CA6.7+0.3 pts
39Twentynine Palms, CA6.7+0.1 pts
41Apple Valley, CA6.6-0.2 pts
41Galt, CA6.60 pts
41Palmdale, CA6.6-0.2 pts
41West Hollywood, CA6.6-0.4 pts
45Bakersfield, CA6.5+0.1 pts
45Fresno, CA6.5-0.1 pts
47Modesto, CA6.4-0.4 pts
48Perris, CA6.3+0.7 pts
49Compton, CA6.2-0.2 pts
49Hesperia, CA6.2-0.2 pts
51Inglewood, CA6.10 pts
51San Jacinto, CA6.10 pts
53Turlock, CA5.9+0.1 pts
53Visalia, CA5.9+0.1 pts
55Agoura Hills, CA5.80 pts
55Cudahy, CA5.80 pts
55Lynwood, CA5.8-0.3 pts
55Manteca, CA5.8+0.1 pts
55Pomona, CA5.80 pts
60Bell Gardens, CA5.7-0.1 pts
60Bell, CA5.7+0.1 pts
60Hawthorne, CA5.7+0.1 pts
60Moreno Valley, CA5.70 pts
60Pico Rivera, CA5.7-0.2 pts
60Whittier, CA5.7+0.1 pts
66Baldwin Park, CA5.60 pts
66Bellflower, CA5.6-0.1 pts
66Los Angeles, CA5.6-0.3 pts
66Menifee, CA5.6+0.1 pts
66San Bernardino, CA5.60 pts
66Wildomar, CA5.6-0.1 pts
72Carson, CA5.5+0.1 pts
72Culver City, CA5.5-0.4 pts
72Glendale, CA5.5-0.4 pts
72Montebello, CA5.5+0.2 pts
72Paramount, CA5.5-0.3 pts
72Rialto, CA5.5+0.1 pts
72Santa Monica, CA5.5-0.6 pts
79Alhambra, CA5.4+0.1 pts
79Antioch, CA5.4-0.1 pts
79Covina, CA5.4-0.1 pts
79El Monte, CA5.4+0.2 pts
79Huntington Park, CA5.4+0.2 pts
79La Puente, CA5.40 pts
79La Verne, CA5.4-0.3 pts
79Lathrop, CA5.4-0.1 pts
79Lompoc, CA5.4-0.2 pts
79Norwalk, CA5.4+0.1 pts
79Vallejo, CA5.4+0.2 pts
90Beverly Hills, CA5.3-0.5 pts
90Cerritos, CA5.3+0.1 pts
90Colton, CA5.30 pts
90Desert Hot Springs, CA5.3-0.1 pts
90Diamond Bar, CA5.3+0.3 pts
90Gardena, CA5.3-0.2 pts
90Gilroy, CA5.3-0.1 pts
90Glendora, CA5.3+0.1 pts
90Indio, CA5.3+0.2 pts
90Long Beach, CA5.3-0.1 pts
90Maywood, CA5.30 pts
90Monterey Park, CA5.3+0.3 pts
90Redding, CA5.3-0.1 pts
90Suisun City, CA5.3+0.2 pts
90Temple City, CA5.3-0.2 pts
90Walnut, CA5.3+0.3 pts
106Azusa, CA5.2-0.3 pts
106Downey, CA5.20 pts
106El Cajon, CA5.2+0.4 pts
106Fairfield, CA5.2+0.2 pts
106Highland, CA5.2+0.1 pts
106Imperial Beach, CA5.20 pts
106La Mirada, CA5.2+0.1 pts
106Lemon Grove, CA5.2+0.4 pts
106Monrovia, CA5.2-0.2 pts
106National City, CA5.20 pts
106Oxnard, CA5.2-0.2 pts
106San Dimas, CA5.2+0.4 pts
106Santa Clarita, CA5.2-0.1 pts
106West Covina, CA5.2-0.2 pts
106West Sacramento, CA5.2+0.3 pts
121Chico, CA5.1+0.1 pts
121Jurupa Valley, CA5.1+0.1 pts
121Lake Elsinore, CA5.1+0.1 pts
121Lakewood, CA5.1-0.1 pts
121Montclair, CA5.10 pts
121Murrieta, CA5.1+0.4 pts
121Palm Springs, CA5.1-0.2 pts
121Pasadena, CA5.1-0.7 pts
121Redondo Beach, CA5.10 pts
121Rosemead, CA5.10 pts
121Sacramento, CA5.1+0.2 pts
121South Pasadena, CA5.10 pts
133Brentwood, CA5+0.2 pts
133Citrus Heights, CA50 pts
133Palm Desert, CA5+0.2 pts
133Pittsburg, CA5-0.2 pts
133Rancho Cordova, CA5+0.1 pts
133Tracy, CA5-0.1 pts
139Arcadia, CA4.9-0.1 pts
139Claremont, CA4.90 pts
139Fontana, CA4.9+0.2 pts
139La Quinta, CA4.90 pts
139Oakland, CA4.9+0.1 pts
139Oakley, CA4.9-0.1 pts
139Rancho Palos Verdes, CA4.9+0.1 pts
139Riverside, CA4.9+0.1 pts
147Chula Vista, CA4.8+0.1 pts
147Morgan Hill, CA4.8-0.1 pts
147Ontario, CA4.8+0.2 pts
147South Gate, CA4.8-0.4 pts
147Torrance, CA4.8-0.1 pts
147Vacaville, CA4.8+0.1 pts
153Beaumont, CA4.7-0.1 pts
153Chino, CA4.7+0.3 pts
153Eureka, CA4.7-0.3 pts
153Lawndale, CA4.7+0.2 pts
153Napa, CA4.70 pts
153Norco, CA4.7+0.1 pts
153Temecula, CA4.7-0.2 pts
160Alameda, CA4.6-0.1 pts
160Elk Grove, CA4.6+0.1 pts
160Hayward, CA4.6-0.1 pts
160Manhattan Beach, CA4.6-0.2 pts
160Oceanside, CA4.6+0.2 pts
160Richmond, CA4.6-0.2 pts
160San Gabriel, CA4.60 pts
160San Leandro, CA4.6-0.1 pts
160Seal Beach, CA4.6-0.1 pts
160Yucaipa, CA4.6-0.2 pts
170Corona, CA4.5+0.1 pts
170Fountain Valley, CA4.5+0.3 pts
170La Mesa, CA4.5+0.2 pts
170Lincoln, CA4.50 pts
170Martinez, CA4.5+0.3 pts
170Santa Rosa, CA4.50 pts
170Vista, CA4.5+0.2 pts
170Westminster, CA4.5-0.2 pts
178Berkeley, CA4.4+0.1 pts
178Cathedral City, CA4.40 pts
178Clovis, CA4.4-0.1 pts
178Concord, CA4.4-0.1 pts
178Cupertino, CA4.4+0.1 pts
178Fullerton, CA4.4+0.2 pts
178Hercules, CA4.4-0.1 pts
178Los Gatos, CA4.4-0.2 pts
178Pleasant Hill, CA4.40 pts
178Rancho Cucamonga, CA4.4+0.1 pts
178Ridgecrest, CA4.4+0.1 pts
178San Diego, CA4.40 pts
178San Pablo, CA4.4-0.8 pts
178San Ramon, CA4.4+0.1 pts
178Santee, CA4.4-0.1 pts
178Saratoga, CA4.4-0.2 pts
178Union City, CA4.4-0.3 pts
195Danville, CA4.30 pts
195Dublin, CA4.3-0.3 pts
195El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA4.3-0.1 pts
195Escondido, CA4.3+0.2 pts
195Novato, CA4.3-0.2 pts
195Pleasanton, CA4.3-0.1 pts
195Poway, CA4.3+0.3 pts
195Rohnert Park, CA4.3+0.1 pts
195San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA4.3+0.2 pts
195Upland, CA4.30 pts
195Walnut Creek, CA4.3-0.1 pts
206Camarillo, CA4.20 pts
206Campbell, CA4.2-0.1 pts
206Carlsbad, CA4.2-0.2 pts
206Coronado, CA4.20 pts
206Cypress, CA4.20 pts
206Folsom, CA4.2+0.1 pts
206Garden Grove, CA4.2-0.1 pts
206Livermore, CA4.2+0.1 pts
206Loma Linda, CA4.2+0.2 pts
206Newark, CA4.2-0.1 pts
206Placentia, CA4.2+0.2 pts
206Redlands, CA4.2-0.1 pts
206Rocklin, CA4.2+0.1 pts
206San Marcos, CA4.2+0.1 pts
206Santa Cruz, CA4.2-0.1 pts
206Windsor, CA4.20 pts
222Anaheim, CA4.10 pts
222Belmont, CA4.1-0.2 pts
222Brea, CA4.10 pts
222Buena Park, CA4.1-0.1 pts
222Davis, CA4.10 pts
222Fremont, CA4.1-0.2 pts
222Irvine, CA4.1+0.1 pts
222La Habra, CA4.1+0.2 pts
222Los Altos, CA4.1-0.4 pts
222Mission Viejo, CA4.1-0.1 pts
222Petaluma, CA4.10 pts
222San Jose, CA4.1-0.3 pts
222Simi Valley, CA4.1-0.1 pts
222Stanton, CA4.1+0.1 pts
222Thousand Oaks, CA4.1-0.1 pts
237Benicia, CA4-0.4 pts
237Chino Hills, CA4+0.1 pts
237Huntington Beach, CA4-0.1 pts
237Lafayette, CA4+0.1 pts
237Milpitas, CA4-0.5 pts
237Orange, CA4+0.1 pts
237Roseville, CA40 pts
237San Carlos, CA4+0.1 pts
237San Francisco, CA4-0.1 pts
237Tustin, CA4+0.2 pts
237Yorba Linda, CA4+0.2 pts
248Eastvale, CA3.9-0.2 pts
248Foster City, CA3.9-0.3 pts
248Laguna Hills, CA3.90 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, 2026-02) [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, 2026-02. 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=2026-02. 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, 2026-02. 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=2026-02.

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, 2026-02 [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=2026-02 (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, 2026-02}},
  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=2026-02. 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, 2026-02
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=2026-02
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/california-cities?period=2026-02.
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  -
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Rank Cities in California by unemployment rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which city has the highest unemployment rate?

Calexico, CA, with 26.5% in February 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which city has the lowest unemployment rate?

Goleta, CA, with 2.9% in February 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