Department of Numbers

Fresno, California Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Fresno rose 0.9 percentage points in April 2021 to 9.9%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.6 percentage points higher than the California rate. The unemployment rate in Fresno peaked in October 2010 at 17.2% and is now 7.3 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 7.1% in November 2019, the unemployment rate has now grown by 2.8 percentage points. You can also compare Fresno unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate April 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
National 6.1% +0.1 -8.7
California 8.3% 0.0 -7.7
Fresno 9.9% +0.9 -7.1
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with April 2021 data as May metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Fresno, California, National

Fresno, California monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Fresno, California Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Fresno peaked in November 2010 at 76,237. There are now 32,017 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 31,985 in February 2020, the number of unemployed has now grown by 12,235. Fresno employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Fresno, California) is also available.

Unemployed Persons April 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
Fresno 44,220 +4,088 -31,193

Number of Unemployed Persons

Fresno, California Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 California
Unemployment Rate		 Fresno
Unemployment Rate		 Fresno
Unemployed
May
2021		 5.8% — — —
April
2021		 6.1% 8.3% 9.9% 44,220
March
2021		 6.0% 8.3% 9.0% 40,132
February
2021		 6.2% 8.5% 9.3% 41,829
January
2021		 6.3% 9.0% 9.7% 43,524
December
2020		 6.7% 9.3% 10.1% 45,415
November
2020		 6.7% 8.7% 8.8% 39,162
October
2020		 6.9% 9.8% 10.6% 47,867
September
2020		 7.8% 10.6% 11.5% 50,168
August
2020		 8.4% 12.3% 12.2% 53,237
July
2020		 10.2% 13.2% 13.1% 57,360
June
2020		 11.1% 14.1% 14.2% 63,004

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. ↩

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