Bakersfield, California Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Bakersfield rose 0.2 percentage points in February 2019 to 8.0%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 3.8 percentage points higher than the California rate. The unemployment rate in Bakersfield peaked in October 2010 at 15.8% and is now 7.8 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 7.5% in November 2018, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.5 percentage points. You can also compare Bakersfield unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	February 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.8%	-0.2	-0.3
California	4.2%	0.0	-0.1
Bakersfield	8.0%	+0.2	-0.2

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with February 2019 data as March metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Bakersfield, California, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Bakersfield, California Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Bakersfield peaked in November 2010 at 59,223. There are now 27,662 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 29,077 in December 2018, the number of unemployed has now grown by 2,484. Bakersfield employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Bakersfield, California) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	February 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
Bakersfield	31,561	+894	-153

Number of Unemployed Persons

Bakersfield, California Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	California Unemployment Rate	Bakersfield Unemployment Rate	Bakersfield Unemployed
March 2019	3.8%	4.3%	—	—
February 2019	3.8%	4.2%	8.0%	31,561
January 2019	4.0%	4.2%	7.8%	30,667
December 2018	3.9%	4.1%	7.5%	29,077
November 2018	3.7%	4.1%	7.5%	29,109
October 2018	3.8%	4.1%	7.8%	30,004
September 2018	3.7%	4.1%	7.9%	30,321
August 2018	3.8%	4.1%	8.1%	30,699
July 2018	3.9%	4.1%	8.3%	31,646
June 2018	4.0%	4.2%	8.4%	32,189
May 2018	3.8%	4.2%	8.0%	30,561
April 2018	3.9%	4.3%	7.9%	30,229