San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, California Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for San Luis Obispo fell 1.1 percentage points in May 2020 to 13.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 3.2 percentage points lower than the California rate. The unemployment rate in San Luis Obispo peaked in April 2020 at 14.3% and is now 1.1 percentage points lower. You can also compare San Luis Obispo unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	May 2020	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	13.3%	-1.4	+9.7
California	16.4%	0.0	+12.3
San Luis Obispo	13.2%	-1.1	+10.3

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with May 2020 data as June metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: San Luis Obispo, California, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

San Luis Obispo, California Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in San Luis Obispo peaked in April 2020 at 18,982. There are now 2,027 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. San Luis Obispo employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in San Luis Obispo, California) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	May 2020	Month/Month	Year/Year
San Luis Obispo	16,955	-2,027	+12,840

Number of Unemployed Persons

San Luis Obispo, California Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	California Unemployment Rate	San Luis Obispo Unemployment Rate	San Luis Obispo Unemployed
July 2020	10.2%	—	—	—
June 2020	11.1%	14.9%	—	—
May 2020	13.3%	16.4%	13.2%	16,955
April 2020	14.7%	16.4%	14.3%	18,982
March 2020	4.4%	5.5%	3.6%	5,082
February 2020	3.5%	3.9%	2.7%	3,896
January 2020	3.6%	3.9%	2.7%	3,828
December 2019	3.5%	3.9%	2.6%	3,739
November 2019	3.5%	3.9%	2.6%	3,740
October 2019	3.6%	3.9%	2.7%	3,757
September 2019	3.5%	3.9%	2.7%	3,787
August 2019	3.7%	3.9%	2.7%	3,837