Highest Unemployment in California

Top 100 cities ranked by highest unemployment

Best Cities For...

Composite rankings combining multiple weighted metrics, 5 topics across U.S. Census, FBI, NOAA and CDC data.

Best Cities for Retirees
Low crime, warm climate, affordable cost of living and strong healthcare access.
Best Cities for Remote Workers
Strong broadband, affordable rent, low traffic and existing remote-work culture.
Best Cities for Families
Strong schools, low crime, affordable homes and family-friendly commutes.
Best Cities for Young Professionals
High incomes, educated peers, transit access and an under-35 demographic.
Most Affordable Cities
The lowest cost of living across home prices, rent, services and rent burden.
Population & Density
Largest Cities Smallest Cities Most Dense Least Dense
Economy
Highest Income Lowest Income Lowest Unemployment Highest Unemployment Lowest Poverty Highest Poverty Highest Wages Cheapest Cost of Living
Housing
Highest Home Value Most Affordable Highest Rent Lowest Rent Highest Homeownership Newest Housing Lowest Property Tax
Demographics & Education
Most Educated Best Schools Most Graduate Degrees Youngest Cities Oldest Cities Most Veterans
Health & Safety
Safest Cities Highest Crime Healthiest Cities Lowest Smoking Best Doctor Access Best Dental Access
Climate & Air
Warmest Cities Coldest Cities Rainiest Cities Driest Cities Snowiest Cities Cleanest Air Worst Air Quality
Quality of Life
Shortest Commute Most Work From Home
Civic & Politics
Most Republican Most Democratic Most Disasters
Geography & Infrastructure
Highest Elevation Best Broadband Most EV Stations Most Libraries Most Restaurants
All Countries  ·  United States  ·  California

Highest Unemployment - California

1 Lucerne Valley 23.4%
2 Earlimart 23.4%
3 Gustine 19.3%
4 California City 18.5%
5 Calexico 18.3%
6 Orosi 18.1%
7 Salton City 17.9%
8 California Polytechnic State University 17.6%
9 Camp Pendleton South 17.6%
10 Isla Vista 17.1%
11 Clearlake 16.9%
12 Piñon Hills 16.4%
13 Firebaugh 16.1%
14 Lindsay 15.7%
15 Orange Cove 15.7%
16 Brawley 15.4%
17 Williams 15.0%
18 University of California-Santa Barbara 14.5%
19 University of California-Davis 14.3%
20 Dos Palos 14.1%
21 Exeter 14.0%
22 Huron 13.8%
23 Cherry Valley 13.5%
24 Arcata 13.2%
25 Willowbrook 13.1%
26 Garden Acres 13.0%
27 Coalinga 12.8%
28 Hidden Valley Lake 12.6%
29 Calipatria 12.5%
30 Newman 12.5%
31 Reedley 12.4%
32 Selma 12.3%
33 Phelan 12.3%
34 Merced 12.3%
35 East Bakersfield 12.1%
36 Palermo 12.1%
37 Guadalupe 11.9%
38 Madera 11.9%
39 Arvin 11.8%
40 Potomac Park 11.8%
41 Delhi 11.7%
42 Mendota 11.6%
43 Victorville 11.6%
44 Adelanto 11.6%
45 Fruitridge Pocket 11.6%
46 West Athens 11.6%
47 Westmont 11.6%
48 East Niles 11.5%
49 Corcoran 11.4%
50 Delano 11.4%
51 Ben Lomond 11.4%
52 Rio Vista 11.4%
53 Marina del Rey 11.3%
54 Mayfair 11.2%
55 Atwater 11.0%
56 Dinuba 10.9%
57 Happy Valley 10.9%
58 Livingston 10.8%
59 Lemoore 10.7%
60 El Rio 10.7%
61 Red Bluff 10.6%
62 Good Hope 10.6%
63 Rancho Mirage 10.5%
64 Parlier 10.5%
65 Coachella 10.4%
66 Ceres 10.4%
67 Barstow 10.3%
68 August 10.3%
69 Tiburon 10.3%
70 Crescent City 10.2%
71 Woodlake 10.2%
72 Calabasas 10.2%
73 Parkway 10.0%
74 Vandenberg Village 9.9%
75 El Centro 9.9%
76 Lynwood 9.8%
77 Hilmar-Irwin 9.8%
78 Oildale 9.8%
79 Florence-Graham 9.8%
80 Keyes 9.8%
81 Magalia 9.7%
82 Colusa 9.7%
83 Gridley 9.7%
84 View Park-Windsor Hills 9.7%
85 Hesperia 9.7%
86 Huntington Park 9.6%
87 Holtville 9.6%
88 Rodeo 9.6%
89 Oakdale 9.5%
90 Lakeport 9.5%
91 La Presa 9.5%
92 Valle Vista 9.5%
93 Artesia 9.4%
94 Winton 9.4%
95 Willows 9.4%
96 Spring Valley CDP (San Diego County) 9.4%
97 McKinleyville 9.3%
98 McFarland 9.3%
99 Lemon Hill 9.3%
100 Oak Hills 9.3%

Cities with the highest unemployment rates in California face significant economic challenges. Lucerne Valley has an unemployment rate of 23.4%. These communities often struggle with limited job opportunities, industry decline, or seasonal employment patterns.

High unemployment can have cascading effects on a community, including reduced consumer spending, lower tax revenues, and increased demand for social services. Understanding the causes - whether structural, cyclical, or seasonal - is important for developing effective solutions.

Many cities with high unemployment are actively working to diversify their economies, attract new industries, and invest in workforce development programs to help residents gain skills for in-demand occupations.

Did You Know?

  • 1. In Lucerne Valley, about 1 in 4 workers is looking for a job.
  • 2. Seasonal economies (tourism, agriculture) can cause unemployment rates to fluctuate dramatically throughout the year.
  • 3. Many high-unemployment cities have seen improvement through targeted economic development and workforce training programs.

Browse Rankings by Region

United States - By Region

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

By Country

Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bangladesh Belarus Belgium Benin Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Estonia Ethiopia Finland France Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Guadeloupe Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Mali Malta Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Moldova Mongolia Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway Oman Pakistan Palestinian Territory Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Republic of the Congo Reunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand The Netherlands Togo Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Venezuela Vietnam Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe