California: Unemployment Rate Trend
How California's unemployment rate changed from 2017 to 2023, based on U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates. The 2019 vintage reflects the pre-COVID peak; 2021 captures the immediate COVID-era disruption; 2022–2023 show the recovery.
2017
7.7%
2023
6.4%
Total change
-1.3 pp
% change
-16.9%
| Year | Unemployment Rate | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 7.7% | — |
| 2019 | 6.1% | -1.6 pp (-20.8%) |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2021 | 6.5% | — |
| 2022 | 6.4% | -0.1 pp (-1.5%) |
| 2023 | 6.4% | +0.0 pp (0%) |