Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, California Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Santa Barbara fell 0.2 percentage points in December 2011 to 8.6%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 2.5 percentage points lower than the California rate. The unemployment rate in Santa Barbara peaked in December 2010 at 9.6% and is now 1.0 percentage points lower. You can also compare Santa Barbara unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	8.5%	-0.2	-0.9
California	11.1%	-0.2	-1.4
Santa Barbara	8.6%	-0.2	-1.0

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with December 2011 data as January metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Santa Barbara, California, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Santa Barbara, California Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Santa Barbara peaked in December 2010 at 21,111. There are now 2,305 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Santa Barbara employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Santa Barbara, California) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
Santa Barbara	18,806	-474	-2,305

Number of Unemployed Persons

Santa Barbara, California Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	California Unemployment Rate	Santa Barbara Unemployment Rate	Santa Barbara Unemployed
January 2012	8.3%	—	—	—
December 2011	8.5%	11.1%	8.6%	18,806
November 2011	8.7%	11.3%	8.8%	19,280
October 2011	8.9%	11.7%	9.0%	19,699
September 2011	9.0%	11.9%	9.1%	19,857
August 2011	9.1%	12.1%	9.1%	20,081
July 2011	9.1%	12.0%	9.1%	20,154
June 2011	9.1%	11.8%	9.0%	19,901
May 2011	9.0%	11.7%	8.8%	19,502
April 2011	9.0%	11.8%	8.8%	19,440
March 2011	8.9%	12.0%	8.8%	19,421
February 2011	9.0%	12.1%	9.0%	19,769
January 2011	9.1%	12.4%	9.2%	20,359