California’s Jobless Rate Unchanged, Mother Lode Bucks Trend

Published Oct 31, 2026 9:25 am

Sonora, CA—California’s unemployment rate remained unchanged from last month, while the Mother Lode’s numbers saw a slight change.

California’s unemployment rate remained at 5.1% in September 2026, consistent with August and down from 5.5% in September 2025. The state saw a decrease of 9,300 nonfarm payroll jobs for the month, though it added 129,300 jobs year-over-year.

The Mother Lode’s rate saw a slight dip. In Tuolumne County, the rate decreased from 5.6 percent in August to 5.5 percent in September. Calaveras County also saw its rate inch downward from 6.3 percent in August to 6.2 percent last month.

Job gains were led by Private Education & Health Services, which added 8,000 jobs, while Leisure and Hospitality experienced the largest decline at -9,600 jobs.

The national unemployment rate sits at 4.2%.