Beacon Employment Report California – Regional Overview

Regionally, job gains were led by Southern California. Los Angeles (MD) saw the largest increase, where payrolls grew by 29,700 during the month. The Inland Empire (7,500), Orange County (4,500), San Diego (3,700), and Ventura (2,000) also saw payrolls jump during the month. The Inland Empire (73.2%) has experienced the strongest recovery in the region, measured by the percentage of jobs recovered since the depths of the labor market fallout, followed by Ventura (58.4%), Orange County (57.3%), San Diego (52.8%), Los Angeles (MD) (44.5%), and Ventura (43.3%).

In the San Francisco Bay Area, San Francisco (MD) experienced the largest increase, with payrolls expanding by 11,900 positions in June. San Jose (2,700), Santa Rosa (1,700), Vallejo (1,200), Napa (700), and San Rafael (MD) (600) also saw payrolls expand during the month. San Rafael (MD) (64.0%) has experienced the strongest recovery in the region since the pandemic’s lows, followed by Napa (57.7%), Vallejo (54.0%), Santa Rosa (50.3%), the East Bay (47.1%), San Jose (46.9%), and San Francisco (MD) (40.3%).

In the Central Valley, Fresno experienced the largest monthly increase as payrolls expanded by 2,200 positions in June. Payrolls in Sacramento (1,400), Visalia (900), Chico (800), Modesto (500), and Stockton (500) increased steadily as well. Since April 2020, Stockton (83.6%) has experienced the strongest recovery in the region, followed by Redding (80.5%), Madera (63.8%), Modesto (62.3%), Sacramento (62.2%), Merced (59.1%), Fresno (57.9%) and Chico (53.0%).

On California’s Central Coast, Santa Barbara added the largest number of jobs, with payrolls increasing by 1,300 during the month. Salinas (800) and Santa Cruz (200) also saw payrolls expand during the month. Since April 2020, Santa Barbara (59.1%) has experienced the strongest recovery in the region, followed by Salinas (55.4%), San Luis Obispo (37.6%), and Santa Cruz (35.6%).