April 18, 2025
Beacon Employment Report | California
Presented by Beacon Economics
Copyright © Beacon Economics LLC
REGIONAL OVERVIEW
In Southern California, Ventura enjoyed the largest increase, with payrolls growing by 500 during the month, a 0.2% increase. El Centro (100 or 0.2%) also saw their payrolls jump in March. On the other hand, payrolls decreased in Los Angeles (MD) (-7,300 or -0.2%), Orange County (-2,600 or -0.2%), the Inland Empire (-1,200 or -0.1%), and San Diego (-800 or -0.1%). Over the past year, El Centro (0.7%) experienced the fastest job growth in the region, followed by the Inland Empire (0.4%), San Diego (0.4%), Ventura (0.2%), Los Angeles (MD) (-0.1%), and Orange County (-0.1%).
In the Bay Area, jobs were unchanged in Santa Rosa but fell in San Francisco (MD) (-2,100 or -0.2%), San Jose (-1,400 or -0.2%), the East Bay (-1,200 or -0.1%), Vallejo (-200 or -0.1%), Napa (-200 or 0.3%), and San Rafael (MD) (-200 or -0.2%). Over the past 12 months, Napa (3.8%) has enjoyed the fastest job growth in the region, followed by San Rafael (MD) (unchanged), Santa Rosa (-0.4%), San Jose (-0.6%), Vallejo (-0.8%), the East Bay (-0.8%), and San Francisco (MD) (-0.9%).
Regionally, job losses were widespread, although the Central Valley grew modestly. Fresno (1,2000 or 0.3%) experienced the largest monthly increase in March. Payrolls in Bakersfield (300 or 0.1%), Merced (300 or 0.4%), and Redding (200 or 0.3%) increased as well. On the other hand, payrolls declined in Chico (-300 or -0.4%), Stockton (-300 or -0.1%), Hanford (-200 or -0.5%), Yuba (-200 or -0.4%), Visalia (-200 or -0.1%), and Sacramento (-100), and were unchanged in Modesto. Over the past year, Yuba (2.7%) and Redding (2.7%) have seen the fastest growth, followed by Modesto (2.5%), Fresno (2.3%), Merced (1.9%), Stockton (1.9%), Chico (1.8%), Bakersfield (1.1%), Sacramento (0.5%), Hanford (0.5%), and Visalia (0.3%).
On California’s Central Coast, Salinas (600 or 0.4%) added the largest number of jobs during the month. In contrast, Santa Barbara (-1,000 or -0.5%), Santa Cruz (-100 or 0.1%) and San Luis Obispo (-100 or -0.1%) decreased payrolls in March. From March 2024 to March 2025, Salinas (2.3%) added jobs at the fastest rate, followed by Santa Cruz (0.7%), San Luis Obispo (-0.3%), and Santa Barbara (-0.5%).
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