October 2024 | Released November 19, 2024

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In October, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 8, rose in 22, and remained unchanged in 21.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in District of Columbia and Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in October.

• In October, payroll jobs rose in 21 states and fell in 30. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Idaho. The largest payroll job percent decline was 1 percent in Washington.

California Employment Snapshot

• In October, California lost 5,500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 5.4 percent. In the prior month, California added 12,700 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, California added 212,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points from 5.1 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 12,000 in October, or 0 percent. California is tied for 30th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In October, California’s private sector added 2,000 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 155,800 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, California added 10,000 net private payroll jobs.

• In October, employment in California fell by 5,859, and over the past 12 months it rose by 14,003.

• California’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 62.1 percent in October and is tied for 34th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has remained unchanged.

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California Payroll Employment

• California lost 5,500 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during October. In the prior month, California added 12,700 jobs. California nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 12,000 in October, or 0 percent. California is tied for 30th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• California added 2,000 private sector jobs, or 0 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during October. In the prior month, California added 10,000 jobs. California private sector payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs fell by 28,000 jobs in October, or 0 percent. California is tied for 30th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during October were Education and Health Services (9,400) and Financial Activities (2,600).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Government (-7,500) and Professional and Business Services (-8,300).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (142,800) and Government (56,300).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Information (-14,800) and Manufacturing (-37,900).

California Labor Force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in California remained unchanged at 62.1 percent in October.

• California is tied for 34th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in California was 63 percent in February 2020, and the 10-year low was 59.6 percent in May 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.6 percent in October.