By Jorge Mercado Tuesday, May 20th, 2025

The unemployment rate in each of the tri-counties saw slight declines in April from March, as each county also added more nonfarming jobs during the month.

According to the latest data provided by the California Employment Development Department on May 16, the unemployment rate for the Central Coast as a whole was 4.1% in April, down from 4.5% in March and a two-year high of 4.93% in February.

It is higher than last year’s April Central Coast unemployment rate, which was at 3.9%.

The unemployment rate for Santa Barbara County was at 4.2% in April, down from 4.9% in March and the same as last year’s April unemployment.

Ventura County, which sported a 4.5% unemployment rate in March, was at a 4.3% unemployment rate in April. Last year’s April unemployment rate was at 4.2%.

Finally, San Luis Obispo County’s unemployment rate was at 3.8% in April, down from 4.1% in March, but up from last year’s unemployment rate of 3.5% in April.

The Central Coast also added nearly 2,000 nonfarming jobs in the month of April, according to the report.

Santa Barbara County added the most with 800 nonfarming jobs, including 500 in the leisure and hospitality sector, which is coming right as tourism season picks up for the region.

Ventura added 400 nonfarming jobs while San Luis Obispo added 300.

As for the state, California’s unemployment rate remained the same, sitting at 5.3% in April, down from 5.4% in February and 5.5% in December.

Since April 2024, California’s unemployment rate has increased by 0.1%, compared to the national unemployment rate, which has increased by 0.3% over the same period.

Five of California’s 11 industry sectors gained jobs in April, with private education and health services posting a gain for the 39th straight month with 9,400 jobs added. 

The largest gains in health care and social assistance (+8,100) subsectors include job increases in fields like nursing,partly due to California’s aging population, which has driven more demand for medical services.

Source: California Employment Development Department 

4.1% – The unemployment rate along the Central Coast in April

1,500 – Net gain of non-farming jobs along the Central Coast in April

5.3% – The unemployment rate for California in April