Santa Cruz-Watsonville, California Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Santa Cruz rose 1.7 percentage points in March 2020 to 6.1%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.6 percentage points higher than the California rate. The unemployment rate in Santa Cruz peaked in November 2010 at 13.8% and is now 7.7 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 4.3% in December 2019, the unemployment rate has now grown by 1.8 percentage points. You can also compare Santa Cruz unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	March 2020	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	4.4%	+0.9	+0.6
California	5.5%	+1.6	+1.3
Santa Cruz	6.1%	+1.7	+1.2

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

Unemployment Rate: Santa Cruz, California, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Santa Cruz, California Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Santa Cruz peaked in November 2010 at 19,801. There are now 11,068 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 6,184 in December 2019, the number of unemployed has now grown by 2,549. Santa Cruz employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Santa Cruz, California) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	March 2020	Month/Month	Year/Year
Santa Cruz	8,733	+2,401	+1,841

Number of Unemployed Persons

Santa Cruz, California Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	California Unemployment Rate	Santa Cruz Unemployment Rate	Santa Cruz Unemployed
April 2020	14.7%	15.5%	—	—
March 2020	4.4%	5.5%	6.1%	8,733
February 2020	3.5%	3.9%	4.4%	6,332
January 2020	3.6%	3.9%	4.5%	6,378
December 2019	3.5%	3.9%	4.3%	6,184
November 2019	3.5%	3.9%	4.5%	6,367
October 2019	3.6%	3.9%	4.6%	6,550
September 2019	3.5%	3.9%	4.7%	6,720
August 2019	3.7%	3.9%	4.8%	6,855
July 2019	3.7%	4.0%	4.9%	6,939
June 2019	3.7%	4.0%	4.9%	6,962
May 2019	3.6%	4.1%	4.9%	6,948