Department of Numbers

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, California Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Riverside fell 0.1 percentage points in April 2021 to 7.9%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.4 percentage points lower than the California rate. The unemployment rate in Riverside peaked in April 2020 at 15.6% and is now 7.7 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 7.8% in November 2020, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Riverside unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate April 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
National 6.1% +0.1 -8.7
California 8.3% 0.0 -7.7
Riverside 7.9% -0.1 -7.7
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with April 2021 data as May metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Riverside, California, National

Riverside, California monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Riverside, California Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Riverside peaked in April 2020 at 317,391. There are now 150,469 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 162,138 in November 2020, the number of unemployed has now grown by 4,784. Riverside employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Riverside, California) is also available.

Unemployed Persons April 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
Riverside 166,922 -1,640 -150,469

Number of Unemployed Persons

Riverside, California Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 California
Unemployment Rate		 Riverside
Unemployment Rate		 Riverside
Unemployed
May
2021		 5.8% — — —
April
2021		 6.1% 8.3% 7.9% 166,922
March
2021		 6.0% 8.3% 8.0% 168,562
February
2021		 6.2% 8.5% 8.2% 173,457
January
2021		 6.3% 9.0% 8.5% 177,366
December
2020		 6.7% 9.3% 8.7% 183,021
November
2020		 6.7% 8.7% 7.8% 162,138
October
2020		 6.9% 9.8% 9.5% 198,953
September
2020		 7.8% 10.6% 10.6% 219,600
August
2020		 8.4% 12.3% 11.1% 229,533
July
2020		 10.2% 13.2% 12.4% 256,260
June
2020		 11.1% 14.1% 13.0% 271,620

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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