Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, California Unemployment
The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Santa Maria rose 0.1 percentage points in January 2023 to 3.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.0 percentage points lower than the California rate. The unemployment rate in Santa Maria peaked in April 2020 at 14.1% and is now 10.9 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.0% in July 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare Santa Maria unemployment with unemployment in other cities.
| Unemployment Rate | January 2023 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National | 3.4% | -0.1 | -0.6 |
| California | 4.2% | +0.1 | -1.0 |
| Santa Maria | 3.2% | +0.1 | -1.0 |
Unemployment Rate: Santa Maria, California, National
Note: Recessions shown in gray.
Santa Maria, California Unemployed
The number of people unemployed in Santa Maria peaked in April 2020 at 29,993. There are now 22,835 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 6,582 in July 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 576. Santa Maria employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Santa Maria, California) is also available.
| Unemployed Persons | January 2023 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | 7,158 | +225 | -2,079 |
Number of Unemployed Persons
Santa Maria, California Unemployment History
| Date | National Unemployment Rate |
California Unemployment Rate |
Santa Maria Unemployment Rate |
Santa Maria Unemployed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 2023 |
3.6% | — | — | — |
| January 2023 |
3.4% | 4.2% | 3.2% | 7,158 |
| December 2022 |
3.5% | 4.1% | 3.1% | 6,933 |
| November 2022 |
3.6% | 4.1% | 3.1% | 6,884 |
| October 2022 |
3.7% | 4.1% | 3.0% | 6,664 |
| September 2022 |
3.5% | 4.0% | 3.0% | 6,590 |
| August 2022 |
3.7% | 3.8% | 3.0% | 6,587 |
| July 2022 |
3.5% | 3.8% | 3.0% | 6,582 |
| June 2022 |
3.6% | 3.9% | 3.1% | 6,824 |
| May 2022 |
3.6% | 4.0% | 3.2% | 7,127 |
| April 2022 |
3.6% | 4.1% | 3.4% | 7,476 |
| March 2022 |
3.6% | 4.4% | 3.6% | 7,977 |
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. ↩
Department of Numbers
The Department of Numbers contextualizes public data so that individuals can form independent opinions on everyday social and economic matters.
