Department of Numbers

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Los Angeles rose 0.1 percentage points in March 2023 to 4.4%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.0 percentage points lower than the California rate. The unemployment rate in Los Angeles peaked in May 2020 at 18.5% and is now 14.1 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 4.0% in August 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.4 percentage points. You can also compare Los Angeles unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate March 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.5% -0.1 -0.1
California 4.4% 0.0 0.0
Los Angeles 4.4% +0.1 -0.5
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with March 2023 data as April metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Los Angeles, California, National

Los Angeles, California monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Los Angeles, California Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Los Angeles peaked in May 2020 at 1,153,581. There are now 860,768 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 265,105 in August 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 27,708. Los Angeles employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Los Angeles, California) is also available.

Unemployed Persons March 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Los Angeles 292,813 +7,470 -32,602

Number of Unemployed Persons

Los Angeles, California Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
California
Unemployment Rate
Los Angeles
Unemployment Rate
Los Angeles
Unemployed
April
2023
3.4%
March
2023
3.5% 4.4% 4.4% 292,813
February
2023
3.6% 4.4% 4.3% 285,343
January
2023
3.4% 4.2% 4.2% 276,039
December
2022
3.5% 4.1% 4.2% 273,655
November
2022
3.6% 4.1% 4.2% 273,027
October
2022
3.7% 4.1% 4.1% 270,564
September
2022
3.5% 4.0% 4.1% 267,024
August
2022
3.7% 3.8% 4.0% 265,105
July
2022
3.5% 3.8% 4.1% 267,291
June
2022
3.6% 3.9% 4.2% 275,405
May
2022
3.6% 4.0% 4.4% 289,319

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.