Department of Numbers

Merced, California Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Merced fell 0.9 percentage points in November 2020 to 10.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 2.0 percentage points higher than the California rate. The unemployment rate in Merced peaked in December 2009 at 18.2% and is now 8.0 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 7.6% in December 2019, the unemployment rate has now grown by 2.6 percentage points. You can also compare Merced unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate November 2020 Month/Month Year/Year
National 6.7% -0.2 +3.1
California 8.2% -0.8 +4.3
Merced 10.2% -0.9 +2.5
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with November 2020 data as December 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 20,913. There are now 9,339 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Merced employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Merced, California) is also available.

Unemployed Persons November 2020 Month/Month Year/Year
Merced 11,574 -1,124 +2,551

Number of Unemployed Persons

Merced, California Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 California
Unemployment Rate		 Merced
Unemployment Rate		 Merced
Unemployed
December
2020		 6.7% — — —
November
2020		 6.7% 8.2% 10.2% 11,574
October
2020		 6.9% 9.0% 11.1% 12,698
September
2020		 7.8% 11.1% 12.7% 14,255
August
2020		 8.4% 11.2% 12.0% 13,352
July
2020		 10.2% 13.5% 14.4% 16,384
June
2020		 11.1% 14.9% 15.9% 17,991
May
2020		 13.3% 16.4% 17.0% 19,401
April
2020		 14.8% 16.4% 18.0% 20,913
March
2020		 4.4% 5.5% 10.8% 12,618
February
2020		 3.5% 3.9% 7.8% 9,116
January
2020		 3.5% 3.9% 7.8% 9,096

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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