Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate in San Francisco County/City, CA (CASANF0URN) from Jan 1990 to Apr 2025 about San Francisco County/City, CA; San Francisco; CA; unemployment; rate; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate in San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA (MSA) (SANF806URN) from Jan 1990 to Apr 2025 about San Francisco, CA, unemployment, rate, and USA.

San Francisco County/city, CA - Unemployment Rate in San Francisco County/City, CA was 3.60% in April of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, San Francisco County/city, CA - Unemployment Rate in San Francisco County/City, CA reached a record high of 14.10 in April of 2020 and a record low of 2.10 in May of 2019. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for San Francisco County/city, CA - Unemployment Rate in San Francisco County/City, CA - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

These data come from the Current Population Survey (CPS), also known as the household survey.

Civilian Labor Force includes all persons in the civilian noninstitutional population ages 16 and older classified as either employed or unemployed.

Employed persons are all persons who, during the reference week (the week including the 12th day of the month), (a) did any work as paid employees, worked in their own business or profession or on their own farm, or worked 15 hours or more as unpaid workers in an enterprise operated by a member of their family, or (b) were not working but who had jobs from which they were temporarily absent because of vacation, illness, bad weather, childcare problems, maternity or paternity leave, labor-management dispute, job training, or other family or personal reasons, whether or not they were paid for the time off or were seeking other jobs. Each employed person is counted only once, even if he or she holds more than one job.

Unemployed persons are all persons who had no employment during the reference week, were available for work, except for temporary illness, and had made specific efforts to find employment some time during the 4 week-period ending with the reference week. Persons who were waiting to be recalled to a job from which they had been laid off need not have been looking for work to be classified as unemployed.

The unemployment rate is the unemployed percent of the civilian labor force [100 times (unemployed/civilian labor force)].

For more details, see the release's frequently asked questions.

Interactive monthly chart and 35 years of historical data from 1990 to 2025.

San Francisco County/city, CA - Unemployment Rate in San Francisco County/City, CA was 3.90% in January of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, San Francisco County/city, CA - Unemployment Rate in San Francisco County/City, CA reached a record high of 9.10 in January of 2009 and a record low of 2.20 in January of 2019. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for San Francisco County/city, CA - Unemployment Rate in San Francisco County/City, CA - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on May of 2025.

San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA - Unemployment Rate in San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA (MSA) was 3.90% in April of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA - Unemployment Rate in San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA (MSA) reached a record high of 13.90 in April of 2020 and a record low of 2.30 in December of 1999. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA - Unemployment Rate in San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA (MSA) - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

VITAL SIGNS INDICATOR
Unemployment (EC3)

FULL MEASURE NAME
Unemployment rate by residential location

LAST UPDATED
December 2022

DESCRIPTION
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force – by place of residence – that is not currently employed full-time or part-time. The unemployment rate reflects the strength of the overall employment market.

DATA SOURCE
California Employment Development Department: Historical Unemployment Rates
1990-2010
Spreadsheet provided by CAEDD

California Employment Development Department: Labor Force and Unemployment Rate for California Sub-County Areas - https://data.edd.ca.gov/Labor-Force-and-Unemployment-Rates/Labor-Force-and-Unemployment-Rate-for-California-S/8z4h-2ak6
2010-2022

California Employment Development Department: Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) - https://data.edd.ca.gov/Labor-Force-and-Unemployment-Rates/Local-Area-Unemployment-Statistics-LAUS-/e6gw-gvii
1990-2022

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) - https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la
1990-2021

CONTACT INFORMATION
vitalsigns.info@bayareametro.gov

METHODOLOGY NOTES (across all datasets for this indicator)
Unemployment rates produced by the CA Employment Development Department (EDD) for the region and county levels are not adjusted for seasonality (as they reflect annual data) and are final data (i.e., not preliminary). Unemployment rates produced by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for the metro regions are annual and not adjusted for seasonality; they reflect the primary metropolitan statistical area (MSA) for the named region, except for the San Francisco Bay Area which uses the nine-county region. The unemployment rate is calculated based on the number of unemployed persons divided by the total labor force. Note that the unemployment rate can decline or increase as a result of changes in either variable.

San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA - Unemployment Rate in San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA (MSA) was 4.40% in December of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA - Unemployment Rate in San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA (MSA) reached a record high of 14.00 in April of 2020 and a record low of 2.50 in August of 2019. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA - Unemployment Rate in San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA (MSA) - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

VITAL SIGNS INDICATOR Unemployment (EC3)

FULL MEASURE NAME Unemployment rate by residential location

LAST UPDATED July 2019

DESCRIPTION Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force – by place of residence – that is not currently employed full-time or part-time. The unemployment rate reflects the strength of the overall employment market.

DATA SOURCE California Employment Development Department: Historical Unemployment Rates 1990-2018 https://data.edd.ca.gov/Labor-Force-and-Unemployment-Rates/Local-Area-Unemployment-Statistics-LAUS-Annual-Ave/7jbb-3rb8

CONTACT INFORMATION vitalsigns.info@bayareametro.gov

METHODOLOGY NOTES (across all datasets for this indicator) Unemployment rates produced by EDD for the region and county levels are not adjusted for seasonality (as they reflect annual data) and are final data (i.e., not preliminary). Unemployment rates produced by BLS for the metro regions are adjusted for seasonality; they reflect the primary MSA for the named region, except for the San Francisco Bay Area which uses the nine-county region. The unemployment rate is calculated based on the number of unemployed persons divided by the total labor force. Note that the unemployment rate can decline or increase as a result of changes in either variable.

San Mateo County and Other Bay Area Counties Annual Unemployment Rate (not seasonally adjusted) for years 2000-2019 Compared to Marin County, San Francisco County, Santa Clara County, and the State of California. Data is non-preliminary.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate in San Mateo County, CA (LAUCN060810000000003A) from 1990 to 2024 about San Mateo County, CA; San Francisco; CA; unemployment; rate; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate in San Mateo County, CA (CASANM0URN) from Jan 1990 to Apr 2025 about San Mateo County, CA; San Francisco; CA; unemployment; rate; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate in Alameda County, CA (LAUCN060010000000003A) from 1990 to 2024 about Alameda County, CA; San Francisco; CA; unemployment; rate; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate in Marin County, CA (CAMARI5URN) from Jan 1990 to Apr 2025 about Marin County, CA; San Francisco; CA; unemployment; rate; and USA.

VITAL SIGNS INDICATOR
Unemployment (EC3)

FULL MEASURE NAME
Unemployment rate by residential location

LAST UPDATED
December 2022

DESCRIPTION
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force – by place of residence – that is not currently employed full-time or part-time. The unemployment rate reflects the strength of the overall employment market.

DATA SOURCE
California Employment Development Department: Historical Unemployment Rates
1990-2010
Spreadsheet provided by CAEDD

California Employment Development Department: Labor Force and Unemployment Rate for California Sub-County Areas - https://data.edd.ca.gov/Labor-Force-and-Unemployment-Rates/Labor-Force-and-Unemployment-Rate-for-California-S/8z4h-2ak6
2010-2022

California Employment Development Department: Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) - https://data.edd.ca.gov/Labor-Force-and-Unemployment-Rates/Local-Area-Unemployment-Statistics-LAUS-/e6gw-gvii
1990-2022

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) - https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la
1990-2021

CONTACT INFORMATION
vitalsigns.info@bayareametro.gov

METHODOLOGY NOTES (across all datasets for this indicator)
Unemployment rates produced by the CA Employment Development Department (EDD) for the region and county levels are not adjusted for seasonality (as they reflect annual data) and are final data (i.e., not preliminary). Unemployment rates produced by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for the metro regions are annual and not adjusted for seasonality; they reflect the primary metropolitan statistical area (MSA) for the named region, except for the San Francisco Bay Area which uses the nine-county region. The unemployment rate is calculated based on the number of unemployed persons divided by the total labor force. Note that the unemployment rate can decline or increase as a result of changes in either variable.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate in Contra Costa County, CA (CACONT3URN) from Jan 1990 to Apr 2025 about Contra Costa County, CA; San Francisco; CA; unemployment; rate; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate in Marin County, CA (LAUCN060410000000003A) from 1990 to 2024 about Marin County, CA; San Francisco; CA; unemployment; rate; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployed Persons in San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA (MSA) (LAUMT064186000000004) from Jan 1990 to Apr 2025 about San Francisco, CA, household survey, unemployment, persons, and USA.

VITAL SIGNS INDICATOR
Jobs by Industry (EC1)

FULL MEASURE NAME
Employment by place of work by industry sector

LAST UPDATED
December 2022

DESCRIPTION
Jobs by industry refers to both the change in employment levels by industry and the proportional mix of jobs by economic sector. This measure reflects the changing industry trends that affect our region’s workers.

DATA SOURCE
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) - https://www.bls.gov/cew/downloadable-data-files.htm
1990-2021

CONTACT INFORMATION
vitalsigns.info@bayareametro.gov

METHODOLOGY NOTES (across all datasets for this indicator)
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) employment data is reported by the place of work and represent the number of covered workers who worked during, or received pay for, the pay period that included the 12th day of the month. Covered employees in the private-sector and in the state and local government include most corporate officials, all executives, all supervisory personnel, all professionals, all clerical workers, many farmworkers, all wage earners, all piece workers and all part-time workers. Workers on paid sick leave, paid holiday, paid vacation and the like are also covered.

Besides excluding the aforementioned national security agencies, QCEW excludes proprietors, the unincorporated self-employed, unpaid family members, certain farm and domestic workers exempted from having to report employment data and railroad workers covered by the railroad unemployment insurance system. Excluded as well are workers who earned no wages during the entire applicable pay period because of work stoppages, temporary layoffs, illness or unpaid vacations.

The location quotient (LQ) is used to evaluate level of concentration or clustering of an industry within the Bay Area and within each county of the region. A location quotient greater than 1 means there is a strong concentration for of jobs in an industry sector. For the Bay Area, the LQ is calculated as the share of the region’s employment in a particular sector divided by the share of California's employment in that same sector. For each county, the LQ is calculated as the share of the county’s employment in a particular sector divided by the share of the region’s employment in that same sector.

Data is mainly pulled from aggregation level 73, which is county-level summarized at the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) supersector level (12 sectors). This aggregation level exhibits the least loss due to data suppression, in the magnitude of 1-2 percent for regional employment, and is therefore preferred. However, the supersectors group together NAICS 11 Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting; NAICS 21 Mining and NAICS 23 Construction. To provide a separate tally of Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, the aggregation level 74 data was used for NAICS codes 11, 21 and 23.

QCEW reports on employment in Public Administration as NAICS 92. However, many government activities are reported with an industry specific code - such as transportation or utilities even if those may be public governmental entities. In 2021 for the Bay Area, the largest industry groupings under public ownership are Education and health services (58%); Public administration (29%) and Trade, transportation, and utilities (29%). With the exception of Education and health services, all other public activities were coded as government/public administration, regardless of industry group.

For the county data there were some industries that reported 0 jobs or did not report jobs at the desired aggregation/NAICS level for the following counties/years:

Farm:
(aggregation level: 74, NAICS code: 11) - Contra Costa: 2008-2010 - Marin: 1990-2006, 2008-2010, 2014-2020 - Napa: 1990-2004, 2013-2021 - San Francisco: 2019-2020 - San Mateo: 2013

Information:
(aggregation level: 73, NAICS code: 51) - Solano: 2001

Financial Activities:
(aggregation level: 73, NAICS codes: 52, 53) - Solano: 2001

Unclassified:
(aggregation level: 73, NAICS code: 99) - All nine Bay Area counties: 1990-2000 - Marin, Napa, San Mateo, and Solano: 2020 - Napa: 2019 - Solano: 2001