Unemployment rate sees mixed results along Central Coast in December
With the federal government shutdown over, the California Employment Development Department has released unemployment numbers for the month of December, just a couple of weeks after releasing results for November.
Announced Jan. 23, the unemployment rate for the Central Coast declined from 4.73% in November to 4.63% in December, as two counties saw their rates decline.
The only county to see its rate increase month-over-month was Santa Barbara, which saw its jobless rate rise from 4.6% in November to 4.9% in December. December 2024’s unemployment rate was at 4.6%.
Ventura County, which had a 5% unemployment rate in November, saw its rate decline to 4.7% in December, which was also the same unemployment rate in December of last year.
Finally, San Luis Obispo County’s unemployment rate was at 4.3% in December, down from last month’s unemployment rate of 4.6% in November, but it was up from last year’s unemployment rate of 3.9%.
In terms of job growth, the Central Coast struggled to add nonfarming jobs, seeing a net loss of 300 nonfarming jobs.
Only Santa Barbara County saw a net gain of nonfarming jobs with 300, as 200 jobs were added in the trade, transportation and utilities. San Luis Obispo had a net loss of 100 jobs, while Ventura County had a net loss of 500 jobs.
As for the state, California’s unemployment rate was at 5.5% in December, the same as the previous month and down from a 5.6% jobless rate in September.
The state’s employers were unable to keep up the momentum of adding 32,500 nonfarm payroll jobs in November, shedding 1,700 jobs in December. Job losses tend to rise at the end of the year.
Five of California’s 11 industry sectors gained jobs in December, with Private Education and Health Services (+5,000) showing gains for the 47th consecutive month as California’s population continues to age. The industry saw gains posted in Hospitals and Social Assistance.
Source: California Employment Development Department
4.63% — the unemployment rate for the Central Coast in December 2025
5.5% — the unemployment rate for California in December 2025
-300 — the net gain of nonfarming jobs along the Central Coast in November 2025
