Department of Numbers

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for San Jose rose 0.2 percentage points in January 2023 to 2.5%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.7 percentage points lower than the California rate. The unemployment rate in San Jose peaked in April 2020 at 12.3% and is now 9.8 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.2% in July 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.3 percentage points. You can also compare San Jose unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.4% -0.1 -0.6
California 4.2% +0.1 -1.0
San Jose 2.5% +0.2 -1.0
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with January 2023 data as February metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: San Jose, California, National

San Jose, California monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

San Jose, California Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in San Jose peaked in April 2020 at 128,899. There are now 102,169 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 23,329 in August 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 3,401. San Jose employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in San Jose, California) is also available.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
San Jose 26,730 +1,420 -10,747

Number of Unemployed Persons

San Jose, California Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
California
Unemployment Rate
San Jose
Unemployment Rate
San Jose
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 4.2% 2.5% 26,730
December
2022
3.5% 4.1% 2.3% 25,310
November
2022
3.6% 4.1% 2.3% 24,838
October
2022
3.7% 4.1% 2.2% 23,731
September
2022
3.5% 4.0% 2.2% 23,393
August
2022
3.7% 3.8% 2.2% 23,329
July
2022
3.5% 3.8% 2.2% 23,990
June
2022
3.6% 3.9% 2.4% 25,837
May
2022
3.6% 4.0% 2.6% 27,925
April
2022
3.6% 4.1% 2.8% 30,075
March
2022
3.6% 4.4% 3.0% 32,387

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.