California lost 5,500 non-agricultural jobs in October, according data released by the Employment Development Department.
That follows a month in which the state added a revised 12,700 non-farming jobs, the department reported Nov. 15.
The state’s adjusted unemployment rate in October – 5.4 percent – was essentially unchanged from September.
Five of California’s 11 industry sectors added jobs during the 10th month of 2024. The largest of those was private education and Health Services (9,400) which has now added jobs in 32 of the last 33 months.
Trade, Transportation, & Utilities (2,600) added jobs for the eighth consecutive month, with most of those gains happening in retail trade and transportation.
Professional and Business Services (-8,300) experienced the largest month-over decline, while government posted a decline of 7,500 jobs last month, most of them in the state sector.
The Inland Empire recorded an unadjusted unemployment rate of 5.5 percent in October, essentially unchanged month-over-month, the department reported.