Bakersfield, California Unemployment
The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Bakersfield rose 0.2 percentage points in September 2022 to 6.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 2.9 percentage points higher than the California rate. The unemployment rate in Bakersfield peaked in May 2020 at 18.0% and is now 11.2 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 6.5% in July 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.3 percentage points. You can also compare Bakersfield unemployment with unemployment in other cities.
| Unemployment Rate | September 2022 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National | 3.5% | -0.2 | -1.2 |
| California | 3.9% | -0.2 | -2.5 |
| Bakersfield | 6.8% | +0.2 | -2.8 |
Unemployment Rate: Bakersfield, California, National
Note: Recessions shown in gray.
Bakersfield, California Unemployed
The number of people unemployed in Bakersfield peaked in May 2020 at 68,626. There are now 42,515 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 24,976 in July 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 1,135. Bakersfield employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Bakersfield, California) is also available.
| Unemployed Persons | September 2022 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield | 26,111 | +713 | -10,761 |
Number of Unemployed Persons
Bakersfield, California Unemployment History
| Date | National Unemployment Rate |
California Unemployment Rate |
Bakersfield Unemployment Rate |
Bakersfield Unemployed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2022 |
3.7% | — | — | — |
| September 2022 |
3.5% | 3.9% | 6.8% | 26,111 |
| August 2022 |
3.7% | 4.1% | 6.6% | 25,398 |
| July 2022 |
3.5% | 3.9% | 6.5% | 24,976 |
| June 2022 |
3.6% | 4.2% | 6.6% | 25,484 |
| May 2022 |
3.6% | 4.3% | 6.8% | 26,199 |
| April 2022 |
3.6% | 4.6% | 7.1% | 27,345 |
| March 2022 |
3.6% | 4.8% | 7.5% | 28,915 |
| February 2022 |
3.8% | 5.3% | 8.1% | 31,252 |
| January 2022 |
4.0% | 5.7% | 8.6% | 33,118 |
| December 2021 |
3.9% | 5.8% | 9.0% | 34,873 |
| November 2021 |
4.2% | 5.8% | 9.0% | 34,783 |
1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers. ↩
Department of Numbers
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