Fresno, California Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Fresno fell 0.1 percentage points in May 2020 to 16.6%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points higher than the California rate. The unemployment rate in Fresno peaked in November 2010 at 16.9% and is now 0.3 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 6.8% in December 2019, the unemployment rate has now grown by 9.8 percentage points. You can also compare Fresno unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	May 2020	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	13.3%	-1.4	+9.7
California	16.3%	-0.1	+12.2
Fresno	16.6%	-0.1	+9.2

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with May 2020 data as June metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Fresno, California, National

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 425 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 43,639. Fresno employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Fresno, California) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	May 2020	Month/Month	Year/Year
Fresno	74,394	-245	+41,214

Number of Unemployed Persons

Fresno, California Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	California Unemployment Rate	Fresno Unemployment Rate	Fresno Unemployed
June 2020	11.1%	—	—	—
May 2020	13.3%	16.3%	16.6%	74,394
April 2020	14.7%	16.4%	16.7%	74,639
March 2020	4.4%	5.5%	9.5%	43,131
February 2020	3.5%	3.9%	6.9%	31,302
January 2020	3.6%	3.9%	6.9%	31,245
December 2019	3.5%	3.9%	6.8%	30,755
November 2019	3.5%	3.9%	6.9%	31,121
October 2019	3.6%	3.9%	7.0%	31,523
September 2019	3.5%	3.9%	7.1%	31,942
August 2019	3.7%	3.9%	7.2%	32,321
July 2019	3.7%	4.0%	7.3%	32,627