California’s Unemployment Increases Slightly While the Mother Lode’s Dips

Sacramento, CA – While the Mother Lode’s unemployment rate decreased slightly, California’s rate inched up.

The Employment Development Department’s (EDD) latest data from two separate surveys shows the state’s unemployment rate rose slightly to 5.5 percent. California’s unemployment rate had a year-over-year increase of 0.4 percent in December 2024 compared to a 0.3 percent increase nationally.

The Mother Lode saw a dip in the jobless rate, with Tuolumne County’s down from 5.2 percent in November to 5.1% last month. In Calaveras County, it was 4.5 percent to 4.1 percent, respectively.

Seven of California’s 11 industry sectors gained jobs, with Leisure & Hospitality coming out on top with 7,500 jobs gained, followed by Information with 4,900. Professional & Business Services saw the largest decline at 3,000 jobs, mostly due to losses in specialized design services and computer systems design and related services.

EDD statistics also found that nonfarm jobs grew nearly every month in 2024, except for minimal losses in February and August, with a year-to-date gain of 180,500 jobs. The national jobless rate also declined slightly from 4.2 percent in November to 4.1 percent last month.