Department of Numbers

Fresno, California Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Fresno fell 1.3 percentage points in January 2021 to 8.7%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points lower than the California rate. The unemployment rate in Fresno peaked in November 2010 at 16.9% and is now 8.2 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 6.8% in December 2019, the unemployment rate has now grown by 1.9 percentage points. You can also compare Fresno unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
National 6.3% -0.4 +2.8
California 9.0% -0.3 +4.8
Fresno 8.7% -1.3 +1.8
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with January 2021 data as February 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 74,819. There are now 36,143 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 30,755 in December 2019, the number of unemployed has now grown by 7,921. Fresno employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Fresno, California) is also available.

Unemployed Persons January 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
Fresno 38,676 -6,759 +7,431

Number of Unemployed Persons

Fresno, California Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 California
Unemployment Rate		 Fresno
Unemployment Rate		 Fresno
Unemployed
March
2021		 6.0% — — —
February
2021		 6.2% 8.5% — —
January
2021		 6.3% 9.0% 8.7% 38,676
December
2020		 6.7% 9.3% 10.0% 45,435
November
2020		 6.7% 8.7% 8.6% 38,339
October
2020		 6.9% 9.8% 9.6% 43,391
September
2020		 7.8% 10.6% 11.3% 49,796
August
2020		 8.4% 12.3% 11.3% 49,849
July
2020		 10.2% 13.2% 13.9% 61,573
June
2020		 11.1% 14.1% 15.0% 67,383
May
2020		 13.3% 15.6% 16.6% 74,303
April
2020		 14.8% 16.0% 16.7% 74,639

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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