Department of Numbers

Merced, California Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Merced rose 0.1 percentage points in August 2021 to 10.0%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 2.5 percentage points higher than the California rate. The unemployment rate in Merced peaked in December 2009 at 18.8% and is now 8.8 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 8.1% in November 2019, the unemployment rate has now grown by 1.9 percentage points. You can also compare Merced unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate August 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
National 5.2% -0.2 -3.2
California 7.5% -0.1 -4.8
Merced 10.0% +0.1 -2.9
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with August 2021 data as September metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Merced, California, National

Merced, California monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Merced, California Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Merced peaked in April 2020 at 21,268. There are now 9,373 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 11,373 in November 2020, the number of unemployed has now grown by 522. Merced employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Merced, California) is also available.

Unemployed Persons August 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
Merced 11,895 +146 -2,574

Number of Unemployed Persons

Merced, California Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 California
Unemployment Rate		 Merced
Unemployment Rate		 Merced
Unemployed
September
2021		 4.8% 7.5% — —
August
2021		 5.2% 7.5% 10.0% 11,895
July
2021		 5.4% 7.6% 9.9% 11,749
June
2021		 5.9% 7.6% 10.1% 11,646
May
2021		 5.8% 7.7% 10.0% 11,465
April
2021		 6.1% 8.0% 10.0% 11,435
March
2021		 6.0% 8.3% 10.1% 11,526
February
2021		 6.2% 8.5% 10.4% 11,878
January
2021		 6.3% 9.0% 10.7% 12,226
December
2020		 6.7% 9.3% 11.0% 12,621
November
2020		 6.7% 8.7% 10.1% 11,373
October
2020		 6.9% 9.8% 11.5% 13,269

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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