Department of Numbers

Salinas, California Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Salinas rose 1.8 percentage points in May 2021 to 8.6%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.7 percentage points higher than the California rate. The unemployment rate in Salinas peaked in April 2020 at 18.5% and is now 9.9 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 6.8% in April 2021, the unemployment rate has now grown by 1.8 percentage points. You can also compare Salinas unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate May 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
National 5.8% -0.3 -7.5
California 7.9% -0.1 -7.7
Salinas 8.6% +1.8 -7.9
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with May 2021 data as June metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Salinas, California, National

Salinas, California monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Salinas, California Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Salinas peaked in April 2020 at 39,589. There are now 21,053 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 14,392 in April 2021, the number of unemployed has now grown by 4,144. Salinas employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Salinas, California) is also available.

Unemployed Persons May 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
Salinas 18,536 +4,144 -16,145

Number of Unemployed Persons

Salinas, California Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 California
Unemployment Rate		 Salinas
Unemployment Rate		 Salinas
Unemployed
June
2021		 5.9% — — —
May
2021		 5.8% 7.9% 8.6% 18,536
April
2021		 6.1% 8.0% 6.8% 14,392
March
2021		 6.0% 8.3% 7.2% 15,122
February
2021		 6.2% 8.5% 7.7% 16,197
January
2021		 6.3% 9.0% 8.2% 17,358
December
2020		 6.7% 9.3% 8.0% 17,154
November
2020		 6.7% 8.7% 8.4% 17,632
October
2020		 6.9% 9.8% 9.9% 20,950
September
2020		 7.8% 10.6% 11.0% 22,917
August
2020		 8.4% 12.3% 11.5% 24,320
July
2020		 10.2% 13.2% 12.5% 26,379

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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