Santa Cruz-Watsonville, California Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Santa Cruz rose 0.1 percentage points in February 2018 to 4.6%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points higher than the California rate. The unemployment rate in Santa Cruz peaked in November 2010 at 13.7% and is now 9.1 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 4.5% in January 2018, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Santa Cruz unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	February 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	4.1%	0.0	-0.6
California	4.3%	-0.1	-0.8
Santa Cruz	4.6%	+0.1	-1.8

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with February 2018 data as March 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 19,742. There are now 13,057 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 6,492 in January 2018, the number of unemployed has now grown by 193. Santa Cruz employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Santa Cruz, California) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	February 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
Santa Cruz	6,685	+193	-2,618

Number of Unemployed Persons

Santa Cruz, California Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	California Unemployment Rate	Santa Cruz Unemployment Rate	Santa Cruz Unemployed
March 2018	4.1%	—	—	—
February 2018	4.1%	4.3%	4.6%	6,685
January 2018	4.1%	4.4%	4.5%	6,492
December 2017	4.1%	4.5%	5.7%	8,199
November 2017	4.1%	4.5%	5.6%	8,155
October 2017	4.1%	4.5%	6.0%	8,648
September 2017	4.2%	4.5%	6.4%	9,240
August 2017	4.4%	4.6%	6.5%	9,365
July 2017	4.3%	4.7%	6.3%	9,083
June 2017	4.3%	4.8%	6.2%	8,923
May 2017	4.3%	4.9%	6.2%	8,922
April 2017	4.4%	5.0%	6.4%	9,185