Department of Numbers

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

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for San Luis Obispo rose 0.1 percentage points in September 2023 to 3.4%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.3 percentage points lower than the California rate. The unemployment rate in San Luis Obispo peaked in April 2020 at 15.4% and is now 12.0 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.8% in June 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.6 percentage points. You can also compare San Luis Obispo 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 Luis Obispo 3.4% +0.1 +0.6
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 Luis Obispo, California, National

San Luis Obispo, California monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

San Luis Obispo, California Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in San Luis Obispo peaked in April 2020 at 20,180. There are now 15,452 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 3,847 in July 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 881. San Luis Obispo employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in San Luis Obispo, California) is also available.

Unemployed Persons September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
San Luis Obispo 4,728 +112 +826

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
October
2023
3.9% 4.8%
September
2023
3.8% 4.7% 3.4% 4,728
August
2023
3.8% 4.6% 3.3% 4,616
July
2023
3.5% 4.6% 3.3% 4,566
June
2023
3.6% 4.6% 3.3% 4,646
May
2023
3.7% 4.5% 3.3% 4,581
April
2023
3.4% 4.5% 3.2% 4,445
March
2023
3.5% 4.4% 3.1% 4,330
February
2023
3.6% 4.4% 3.0% 4,199
January
2023
3.4% 4.2% 2.9% 4,061
December
2022
3.5% 4.1% 2.9% 3,975
November
2022
3.6% 4.1% 2.9% 3,973

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.