Central Coast unemployment rate sees slight decline in November
With the federal government shutdown over, the California Employment Development Department has released unemployment numbers for the month of November, skipping over the month of October.
Announced Jan. 9, the unemployment rate for the Central Coast declined from the last release, sitting at 4.73% in November, down from 4.8% in September; however, it is still above last year’s November rate of 4.36%.
The unemployment rate for Santa Barbara County was at 4.5% in November, down from an unemployment rate of 4.3% in November 2024.
Ventura County, which had a 4.9% unemployment rate in November, reported the same unemployment rate in November of last year.
Finally, San Luis Obispo County’s unemployment rate was at 4.8% in November, down from last year’s unemployment rate of 5%.
In terms of job growth, the Central Coast as a whole added 3,400 jobs, with only one county, San Luis Obispo, seeing a net loss of nonfarming jobs (200).
Santa Barbara County added 1,800 nonfarming jobs, the majority of which came in the government sector (+900) and trade, transportation and utilities (+700). Ventura County also added 1,800 nonfarming jobs, the majority of which came in private health and education (+800).
As for the state, California’s unemployment rate improved to 5.5% in November from the 5.6% rate in September. In addition, the state’s employers added 32,500 nonfarm payroll jobs
Year-over-year, California’s unemployment rate remains stable, whereas the national unemployment rate has risen 0.4 percentage points since November 2024.
Six of California’s 11 industry sectors gained jobs in November, with Private Education and Health Services (+14,900) showing gains for the 46th consecutive month as California’s population continues to age. Manufacturing (-2,500) saw the largest month-over-month decline in jobs due, in part, to federal import tariffs affecting business operations.
Source: California Employment Development Department
4.7% — the unemployment rate for the Central Coast in November 2025
5.5% — the unemployment rate for California in November 2025
+3,400 — the net gain of nonfarming jobs along the Central Coast in November 2025
