Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate / Cities in California

Cities in California by unemployment rate

Calexico, CA had the highest unemployment rate of 285 cities in July 2026, at 31.2%. Goleta, CA had the lowest, at 3.3%. The median was 4.9% and the figure for California was 5.1%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest31.2Calexico, CA
Lowest3.3Goleta, CA
Median4.9285 cities
California5.1History

Top 40 cities, July 2026

Calexico, CA: 31.2 %Calexico, CA31.2Delano, CA: 17 %Delano, CA17Brawley, CA: 16.8 %Brawley, CA16.8El Centro, CA: 15.4 %El Centro, CA15.4Porterville, CA: 12.9 %Porterville, CA12.9Wasco, CA: 12.9 %Wasco, CA12.9Reedley, CA: 12.4 %Reedley, CA12.4Corcoran, CA: 12 %Corcoran, CA12Dinuba, CA: 11.4 %Dinuba, CA11.4Coachella, CA: 11 %Coachella, CA11Paradise, CA: 10.7 %Paradise, CA10.7Sanger, CA: 9.6 %Sanger, CA9.6Los Banos, CA: 9.2 %Los Banos, CA9.2Atwater, CA: 9.1 %Atwater, CA9.1Patterson, CA: 8.9 %Patterson, CA8.9Ceres, CA: 8.1 %Ceres, CA8.1Hanford, CA: 8.1 %Hanford, CA8.1Merced, CA: 8.1 %Merced, CA8.1Riverbank, CA: 8.1 %Riverbank, CA8.1Soledad, CA: 8 %Soledad, CA8Adelanto, CA: 7.9 %Adelanto, CA7.9Lemoore, CA: 7.9 %Lemoore, CA7.9Barstow, CA: 7.8 %Barstow, CA7.8Tulare, CA: 7.8 %Tulare, CA7.8Palm Desert, CA: 7.7 %Palm Desert, CA7.7Yuba City, CA: 7.6 %Yuba City, CA7.6Madera, CA: 7.5 %Madera, CA7.5La Quinta, CA: 7.4 %La Quinta, CA7.4Indio, CA: 7.3 %Indio, CA7.3Stockton, CA: 7.2 %Stockton, CA7.2Apple Valley, CA: 7.1 %Apple Valley, CA7.1Hemet, CA: 7.1 %Hemet, CA7.1Victorville, CA: 7.1 %Victorville, CA7.1Lancaster, CA: 7 %Lancaster, CA7Visalia, CA: 7 %Visalia, CA7Banning, CA: 6.9 %Banning, CA6.9Fresno, CA: 6.9 %Fresno, CA6.9Bakersfield, CA: 6.8 %Bakersfield, CA6.8Desert Hot Springs, CA: 6.8 %Desert Hot Springs, CA6.8Twentynine Palms, CA: 6.8 %Twentynine Palms, CA6.8Calexico, CA: 31.2 %Calexico, CA31.2Delano, CA: 17 %Delano, CA17Brawley, CA: 16.8 %Brawley, CA16.8El Centro, CA: 15.4 %El Centro, CA15.4Porterville, CA: 12.9 %Porterville, CA12.9Wasco, CA: 12.9 %Wasco, CA12.9Reedley, CA: 12.4 %Reedley, CA12.4Corcoran, CA: 12 %Corcoran, CA12Dinuba, CA: 11.4 %Dinuba, CA11.4Coachella, CA: 11 %Coachella, CA11Paradise, CA: 10.7 %Paradise, CA10.7Sanger, CA: 9.6 %Sanger, CA9.6Los Banos, CA: 9.2 %Los Banos, CA9.2Atwater, CA: 9.1 %Atwater, CA9.1Patterson, CA: 8.9 %Patterson, CA8.9Ceres, CA: 8.1 %Ceres, CA8.1Hanford, CA: 8.1 %Hanford, CA8.1Merced, CA: 8.1 %Merced, CA8.1Riverbank, CA: 8.1 %Riverbank, CA8.1Soledad, CA: 8 %Soledad, CA8Adelanto, CA: 7.9 %Adelanto, CA7.9Lemoore, CA: 7.9 %Lemoore, CA7.9Barstow, CA: 7.8 %Barstow, CA7.8Tulare, CA: 7.8 %Tulare, CA7.8Palm Desert, CA: 7.7 %Palm Desert, CA7.7Yuba City, CA: 7.6 %Yuba City, CA7.6Madera, CA: 7.5 %Madera, CA7.5La Quinta, CA: 7.4 %La Quinta, CA7.4Indio, CA: 7.3 %Indio, CA7.3Stockton, CA: 7.2 %Stockton, CA7.2Apple Valley, CA: 7.1 %Apple Valley, CA7.1Hemet, CA: 7.1 %Hemet, CA7.1Victorville, CA: 7.1 %Victorville, CA7.1Lancaster, CA: 7 %Lancaster, CA7Visalia, CA: 7 %Visalia, CA7Banning, CA: 6.9 %Banning, CA6.9Fresno, CA: 6.9 %Fresno, CA6.9Bakersfield, CA: 6.8 %Bakersfield, CA6.8Desert Hot Springs, CA: 6.8 %Desert Hot Springs, CA6.8Twentynine Palms, CA: 6.8 %Twentynine Palms, CA6.8
%. Source: BLS, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCitiesJuly 2026 (%)Change on July 2025
1Calexico, CA31.2+1 pts
2Delano, CA17-2.1 pts
3Brawley, CA16.8+0.4 pts
4El Centro, CA15.4-0.7 pts
5Porterville, CA12.9-1.1 pts
5Wasco, CA12.9-2.3 pts
7Reedley, CA12.4-0.7 pts
8Corcoran, CA12-1.9 pts
9Dinuba, CA11.4-0.4 pts
10Coachella, CA11+1 pts
11Paradise, CA10.7+0.2 pts
12Sanger, CA9.6-0.4 pts
13Los Banos, CA9.2-1.1 pts
14Atwater, CA9.1-0.6 pts
15Patterson, CA8.90 pts
16Ceres, CA8.1-1.1 pts
16Hanford, CA8.1-0.3 pts
16Merced, CA8.1-0.5 pts
16Riverbank, CA8.1-0.3 pts
20Soledad, CA8-0.5 pts
21Adelanto, CA7.9-0.7 pts
21Lemoore, CA7.9+0.3 pts
23Barstow, CA7.8+0.1 pts
23Tulare, CA7.8-0.9 pts
25Palm Desert, CA7.7-0.2 pts
26Yuba City, CA7.6-0.8 pts
27Madera, CA7.5-0.8 pts
28La Quinta, CA7.4-0.1 pts
29Indio, CA7.3-0.2 pts
30Stockton, CA7.2-0.4 pts
31Apple Valley, CA7.1-0.1 pts
31Hemet, CA7.1-0.5 pts
31Victorville, CA7.1-0.7 pts
34Lancaster, CA7-1.1 pts
34Visalia, CA7-0.3 pts
36Banning, CA6.9-0.5 pts
36Fresno, CA6.9-0.6 pts
38Bakersfield, CA6.8-0.6 pts
38Desert Hot Springs, CA6.8-0.3 pts
38Twentynine Palms, CA6.8-0.7 pts
41Cathedral City, CA6.7-0.4 pts
41Modesto, CA6.7-0.6 pts
43Hesperia, CA6.6-0.8 pts
43Palm Springs, CA6.6+0.2 pts
45Watsonville, CA6.4-1.3 pts
46San Jacinto, CA6.3-0.8 pts
47Ridgecrest, CA6.2+0.8 pts
47Salinas, CA6.2-0.5 pts
49Manteca, CA6.1-0.5 pts
49Turlock, CA6.1-0.9 pts
51Burbank, CA6-1.2 pts
51Compton, CA6-1.3 pts
51Hollister, CA6-1.1 pts
51Lynwood, CA6-0.7 pts
51Moreno Valley, CA6-0.4 pts
51Palmdale, CA6-1.5 pts
51San Bernardino, CA6-0.8 pts
58Perris, CA5.9-0.6 pts
58Woodland, CA5.9-0.5 pts
60Bell, CA5.8-0.4 pts
60Lodi, CA5.8-0.7 pts
60West Hollywood, CA5.8-0.9 pts
63Inglewood, CA5.7-1.1 pts
63Lathrop, CA5.7-0.6 pts
63National City, CA5.7-0.3 pts
63Rialto, CA5.7-0.7 pts
63Vallejo, CA5.7-0.3 pts
68Antioch, CA5.6-0.4 pts
68Colton, CA5.6-0.6 pts
68Pomona, CA5.6-0.9 pts
71Oxnard, CA5.5-0.3 pts
71Santa Cruz, CA5.5-0.4 pts
71Wildomar, CA5.5-0.6 pts
74Bell Gardens, CA5.4-1 pts
74Chico, CA5.4-0.7 pts
74Clovis, CA5.4-0.4 pts
74Cudahy, CA5.4-1.2 pts
74Highland, CA5.4-0.9 pts
74Menifee, CA5.4-0.4 pts
74Montclair, CA5.4-0.4 pts
74Montebello, CA5.4-0.6 pts
74Pico Rivera, CA5.4-1.2 pts
74Pittsburg, CA5.4-0.2 pts
74Suisun City, CA5.4-0.2 pts
74Tracy, CA5.4-0.3 pts
74West Sacramento, CA5.4-0.1 pts
74Whittier, CA5.4-0.9 pts
88Bellflower, CA5.3-0.9 pts
88Carson, CA5.3-1 pts
88Culver City, CA5.3-0.6 pts
88El Cajon, CA5.3-0.3 pts
88Fairfield, CA5.3-0.2 pts
88Hawthorne, CA5.3-0.9 pts
88La Mirada, CA5.3-0.6 pts
88Lemon Grove, CA5.3-0.3 pts
88Paramount, CA5.3-1.1 pts
88Sacramento, CA5.3-0.2 pts
98Galt, CA5.2+0.1 pts
98Imperial Beach, CA5.2-0.7 pts
98Los Angeles, CA5.2-1.1 pts
98Norwalk, CA5.2-1 pts
98Santa Maria, CA5.2-0.3 pts
98Santa Paula, CA5.2-0.5 pts
104Alhambra, CA5.1-0.5 pts
104Baldwin Park, CA5.1-1.1 pts
104Cerritos, CA5.1-0.9 pts
104Chula Vista, CA5.1-0.3 pts
104Eureka, CA5.1-0.3 pts
104Fontana, CA5.1-0.6 pts
104Glendale, CA5.1-1.1 pts
104Lake Elsinore, CA5.1-0.5 pts
104Long Beach, CA5.1-0.9 pts
104Murrieta, CA5.1-0.2 pts
104Rancho Cordova, CA5.1-0.4 pts
104Redding, CA5.1-0.4 pts
104Riverside, CA5.1-0.5 pts
104Santa Monica, CA5.1-0.8 pts
118Alameda, CA5-0.2 pts
118Brentwood, CA5-0.4 pts
118Chino, CA5-0.2 pts
118Claremont, CA5-1 pts
118El Monte, CA5-0.9 pts
118Gardena, CA5-1 pts
118Glendora, CA5-0.9 pts
118Huntington Park, CA5-1.1 pts
118La Verne, CA5-1.5 pts
118Lakewood, CA5-0.5 pts
118Maywood, CA5-1.1 pts
118Monrovia, CA5-0.6 pts
118Oakland, CA5-0.3 pts
118Richmond, CA5-0.4 pts
118Seal Beach, CA5+0.1 pts
118South Gate, CA5-1.2 pts
118Walnut, CA5-0.8 pts
135Citrus Heights, CA4.9-0.5 pts
135Covina, CA4.9-1 pts
135Downey, CA4.9-0.9 pts
135Jurupa Valley, CA4.9-0.6 pts
135La Puente, CA4.9-1.1 pts
135Lompoc, CA4.9-0.8 pts
135Ontario, CA4.9-0.5 pts
135Rancho Palos Verdes, CA4.9-0.6 pts
135Rosemead, CA4.9-0.8 pts
135San Dimas, CA4.9-0.9 pts
135Santa Clarita, CA4.9-0.9 pts
135Temecula, CA4.9-0.4 pts
135Vacaville, CA4.9-0.6 pts
135West Covina, CA4.9-0.8 pts
135Yucaipa, CA4.9-0.3 pts
150Agoura Hills, CA4.8-1.1 pts
150Arcadia, CA4.8-0.8 pts
150Azusa, CA4.8-1.4 pts
150Davis, CA4.8-0.6 pts
150El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA4.8-0.1 pts
150Elk Grove, CA4.8-0.3 pts
150Norco, CA4.8-0.6 pts
150San Leandro, CA4.8-0.5 pts
150Temple City, CA4.8-1.2 pts
150Walnut Creek, CA4.80 pts
160Beaumont, CA4.7-0.5 pts
160Berkeley, CA4.7-0.6 pts
160Beverly Hills, CA4.7-0.9 pts
160Corona, CA4.7-0.2 pts
160Diamond Bar, CA4.7-0.6 pts
160Hercules, CA4.7-0.4 pts
160Lawndale, CA4.7-0.7 pts
160Martinez, CA4.7-0.1 pts
160Monterey Park, CA4.7-0.9 pts
160Morgan Hill, CA4.7-0.4 pts
160Oceanside, CA4.7-0.3 pts
160Pasadena, CA4.7-1 pts
160Redondo Beach, CA4.7-0.7 pts
160San Pablo, CA4.7-1.3 pts
174Coronado, CA4.6-0.4 pts
174Fullerton, CA4.6-0.2 pts
174Hayward, CA4.6-0.6 pts
174Marina, CA4.6-0.4 pts
174Pleasanton, CA4.6-0.3 pts
174Redlands, CA4.6-0.4 pts
174Rocklin, CA4.6-0.1 pts
174San Ramon, CA4.6-0.2 pts
174Santee, CA4.6-0.3 pts
174Torrance, CA4.6-0.8 pts
174Vista, CA4.6-0.3 pts
174Westminster, CA4.6-0.8 pts
186Concord, CA4.5-0.2 pts
186Cypress, CA4.5-0.6 pts
186Dublin, CA4.5-0.3 pts
186Fountain Valley, CA4.5-0.5 pts
186Gilroy, CA4.5-0.7 pts
186La Mesa, CA4.5-0.1 pts
186Lincoln, CA4.5-0.3 pts
186Loma Linda, CA4.50 pts
186Los Gatos, CA4.5-0.5 pts
186Manhattan Beach, CA4.5-1 pts
186Mission Viejo, CA4.5-0.4 pts
186Moorpark, CA4.5-0.2 pts
186Oakley, CA4.5-0.4 pts
186Pleasant Hill, CA4.5-0.4 pts
186Poway, CA4.50 pts
186Rancho Cucamonga, CA4.5-0.5 pts
186San Diego, CA4.5-0.4 pts
186Seaside, CA4.5-0.1 pts
186South Pasadena, CA4.5-1.2 pts
186Union City, CA4.5-0.4 pts
186Upland, CA4.5-0.4 pts
207Anaheim, CA4.4-0.2 pts
207Camarillo, CA4.4-0.4 pts
207Cupertino, CA4.4-0.2 pts
207Escondido, CA4.4-0.3 pts
207Fremont, CA4.4-0.4 pts
207Garden Grove, CA4.4-0.5 pts
207Novato, CA4.4-0.7 pts
207Placentia, CA4.4-0.2 pts
207San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA4.4-0.3 pts
207San Marcos, CA4.4-0.5 pts
207Santa Rosa, CA4.4-0.4 pts
207Saratoga, CA4.4-0.7 pts
207Simi Valley, CA4.4-0.5 pts
207Stanton, CA4.4-0.2 pts
221Belmont, CA4.3-0.4 pts
221Benicia, CA4.3-0.4 pts
221Buena Park, CA4.3-0.3 pts
221Carlsbad, CA4.3-0.4 pts
221Chino Hills, CA4.3-0.3 pts
221Danville, CA4.3-0.6 pts
221Irvine, CA4.3-0.3 pts
221La Habra, CA4.3-0.3 pts
221Livermore, CA4.3-0.1 pts
221Los Altos, CA4.3-0.5 pts
221Newark, CA4.3-0.3 pts
221San Gabriel, CA4.3-0.8 pts
221Thousand Oaks, CA4.3-0.6 pts
234El Cerrito, CA4.2-0.3 pts
234Folsom, CA4.2-0.2 pts
234Huntington Beach, CA4.2-0.3 pts
234Lake Forest, CA4.2-0.2 pts
234Rohnert Park, CA4.2-0.4 pts
234Roseville, CA4.2-0.3 pts
234San Jose, CA4.2-0.6 pts
234Santa Ana, CA4.2-0.5 pts
234Yorba Linda, CA4.2-0.2 pts
243Brea, CA4.1-0.7 pts
243East Palo Alto, CA4.1-0.4 pts
243Eastvale, CA4.1-0.3 pts
243Lafayette, CA4.1-0.5 pts
243Laguna Hills, CA4.1-0.3 pts
243Milpitas, CA4.1-0.7 pts
243Monterey, CA4.1-0.6 pts
243Napa, CA4.1-0.3 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, 2026-07) [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, 2026-07. 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=2026-07. 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, 2026-07. 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=2026-07.

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, 2026-07 [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=2026-07 (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, 2026-07}},
  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=2026-07. 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, 2026-07
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=2026-07
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/california-cities?period=2026-07.
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 31.2% in July 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which city has the lowest unemployment rate?

Goleta, CA, with 3.3% in July 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