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State Unemployment Drops; Job Growth, Shrinking Workforce Main Causes
California’s unemployment rate dipped to 4.2% in May, while the state’s employers added 19,400 non-farm payroll jobs, according to data released Monday by the California Employment Development Department (EDD). The state has gained 3,235,900 jobs since the economic expansion began in February 2010.
The latest figures show California is still hovering near its record low unemployment rate of 4.1% set in July through December 2018. California’s 19,400 job gain accounted for 26% of the nation’s total 75,000 job gain for the month.
The state’s 111-month employment expansion is the second-longest on record behind the 113-month long expansion of the 1960s.
The EDD reported seven of California’s 11 major industry sectors gained jobs in May. The biggest increase of 12,800 jobs came in construction, reflecting an increase in home building. That was followed by a gain of 4,500 jobs in leisure and hospitality on the strength of the state’s tourism industry, and an 1,800-job gain in government.
Of the major counties, Los Angeles recorded a 3.9% unemployment rate, followed by Riverside (3.6%), San Diego (2.8%), Orange County (2.4%), Santa Clara (2.1%), and San Francisco (1.9%).
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