Department of Numbers

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for San Jose fell 0.0 percentage points in September 2023 to 3.5%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.2 percentage points lower than the California rate. The unemployment rate in San Jose peaked in April 2020 at 12.8% and is now 9.3 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.5% in June 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 1.0 percentage points. You can also compare San Jose unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.8% 0.0 +0.3
California 4.7% +0.1 +0.7
San Jose 3.5% 0.0 +1.0
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with September 2023 data as October 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 134,459. There are now 96,785 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 26,580 in July 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 11,094. San Jose employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in San Jose, California) is also available.

Unemployed Persons September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
San Jose 37,674 +140 +10,216

Number of Unemployed Persons

San Jose, California Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
California
Unemployment Rate
San Jose
Unemployment Rate
San Jose
Unemployed
October
2023
3.9% 4.8%
September
2023
3.8% 4.7% 3.5% 37,674
August
2023
3.8% 4.6% 3.5% 37,534
July
2023
3.5% 4.6% 3.4% 36,445
June
2023
3.6% 4.6% 3.3% 35,964
May
2023
3.7% 4.5% 3.2% 34,765
April
2023
3.4% 4.5% 3.0% 32,987
March
2023
3.5% 4.4% 2.9% 31,777
February
2023
3.6% 4.4% 2.8% 30,284
January
2023
3.4% 4.2% 2.7% 28,922
December
2022
3.5% 4.1% 2.6% 28,154
November
2022
3.6% 4.1% 2.6% 28,174

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.