California And Mother Lode Unemployment Rate Dips Down For Year End

Sonora, CA—The year 2025 closed with an improved unemployment rate in December, with California losing a total of 1,700 jobs, and the Mother Lode followed that trend.

The state’s rate ended the year with a dip in unemployment from 5.6% in November to 5.5% last month. The Employment Development Department (EDD) released figures showing a 0.1 percentage point decrease over the month, matching the national change. However, EDD noted, “The state’s unemployment rate has held steady year-over-year while the nation’s rate increased by 0.3 percentage points. The total number of people unemployed declined for the second consecutive month after previously experiencing six consecutive months of gains (April 2025–September 2025).”

The Mother Lode followed that decline for December, as Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties both saw a dip. Tuolumne’s rate decreased from 5.3% in November to 5.2% last month. Similarly, in Calaveras, the rate inched down from 6.3 to 6.2%.

Five of California’s 11 industry sectors gained jobs in December, with private education and health services gaining 5,000 jobs. Coming in second was the government at 4,500. The largest job loss was in construction at 5,000. EDD reports that it is due to “very wet weather throughout the month with above-average losses in utility system construction and building finishing contractors.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate fell to 4.4% in December, from 4.5% in November. In December 2024, the national unemployment rate was 4.1 percent.