January 23, 2026
Beacon Employment Report | California
Presented by Beacon Economics
Copyright © Beacon Economics LLC
REGIONAL OVERVIEW
In Southern California, the Inland Empire saw the largest increase, where payrolls grew by 2,200 during the month, a 0.1% jump. Payrolls in San Diego (800 or 0.1%) and El Centro (200 or 0.3%) also increased. Payrolls fell in Orange County (-400) and Los Angeles (MD) (-200) and were unchanged in Ventura. Over the past year, the El Centro (1.2%) saw the fastest job growth in the region, followed by San Diego (0.3%), Orange County (0.1%), the Inland Empire (unchanged), Los Angeles (MD) (-0.2%), and Ventura (-0.3%).
In the San Francisco Bay Area, San Jose saw the largest increase, where payrolls grew by 4,800 during the month, 0.4% increase. Santa Rosa (800 or 0.4%) and Vallejo (400 or 0.3%) also saw their payrolls grow during the month. On the other hand, payrolls fell in San Francisco (MD) (-2,500 -0.2%), the East Bay (-700 or -0.1%), San Rafael (MD) (-400 or -0.4%), and Napa (-100 or -0.1%). Over the past 12 months, Napa (0.8%) has enjoyed the fastest job growth in the region, followed by Santa Rosa (0.1%), San Jose (-0.3%), San Francisco (MD) (-0.6%), San Rafael (MD) (-0.6%), the East Bay (-0.7%), and Vallejo (-1.3%).
Regionally, job gains were led by the Central Valley. Sacramento (2,000 or 0.2%) experienced the largest monthly increase in December. Payrolls in Stockton (1,000 or 0.4%), Yuba (400 or 0.8%), Fresno (200), Chico (100 or 0.1%), Merced (100 or 0.1%), and Visalia (100 or 0.1%) increased as well. Payrolls were unchanged in Bakersfield, Hanford, Modesto, and Redding. Over the past year, Yuba (1.9%) saw the fastest growth, followed by Merced (1.3%), Stockton (1.1%), Bakersfield (0.8%), Chico (0.6%), Fresno (0.2%), Redding (0.1%), Sacramento (-0.4%), Visalia (-0.4%), Modesto (-0.5%), and Hanford (-1.4%).
On California’s Central Coast, Salinas (800 or 0.5%) and San Luis Obispo (800 or 0.7%) added the largest number of jobs during December. Payrolls also grew in Santa Barbara (200 or 0.1%) and Santa Cruz (100 or 0.1%). From December 2024 to December 2025, Santa Cruz (0.7%) added jobs at the fastest rate, followed by Salinas (0.5%), Santa Barbara (0.2%), and San Luis Obispo (-0.3%).
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