Southern California unemployment dips to 4.3% as 23,000 jobs created in April

Local unemployment averaged 4.7% in pre-pandemic 2015-19.

Southern California’s unemployment rate hit an 11-month low in April.

My trusty spreadsheet, filled with state job figures for the month, found Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties had a 4.3% unemployment rate compared with 4.8% in the previous month. It’s likely a seasonal dip, as the rate decreased by 0.3 percentage points in April in the pre-pandemic 2015-19 period.

Consider that April’s rate was the lowest since May 2023, but it’s still higher than the 3.9% joblessness seen in April 2023. Unemployment for the region averaged 4.7% in 2015-19.

The four-county tally of unemployed workers was 386,000 – down 50,700 in a month but up 36,600 in a year. The jobless count is 9% above the 424,700 average in pre-pandemic 2015-19.

Increased employment helped to lower regional joblessness.

Local bosses had 7.97 million at work in April – up 23,000 in a month, and up 74,600 in 12 months. Local hiring averaged 22,600 in April in 2015-19. March 2024 saw 23,100 employees added.

The past year’s job growth of 0.9% topped the previous 12 months’ 0.6% increase, but it’s slower than the 2.2% hiring pace throughout 2015-19.

Industry swings

Job changes in key Southern California business sectors, ranked by one-month change …

Health/social services: 1,321,400 workers – up 6,600 in a month and up 67,400 in a year.

Restaurants: 694,500 workers – up 6,000 in a month and up 7,600 in a year.

Government: 1,040,100 workers – up 5,200 in a month and up 28,500 in a year.

Hotels/entertainment/recreation: 264,300 workers – up 2,800 in a month and up 2,500 in a year.

Private education: 218,700 workers – up 2,500 in a month and up 14,200 in a year.

Personal services: 267,500 workers – up 1,800 in a month and up 6,800 in a year.

Logistics/utilities: 799,800 workers – up 1,000 in a month but down 2,600 in a year.

Financial: 356,000 workers – up 900 in a month but down 4,200 in a year.

Information: 219,900 workers – up 700 in a month but down 16,200 in a year.

Retailing: 725,100 workers – up 100 in a month but down 1,400 in a year.

Manufacturing: 565,000 workers – down 1,200 in a month and down 9,800 in a year.

Professional-business services: 1,123,300 workers – down 1,400 in a month and down 19,600 in a year.

Regional differences

Here’s how the job market performed in the region’s key metropolitan areas …

Los Angeles County: 4.58 million workers, after adding 18,100 in a month and growing by 32,600 in a year. Hiring averaged 8,900 for the month in 2015-19. Unemployment? 4.5% vs. 5.2% a month earlier; 4.7% a year ago; and 5.2% average in 2015-19.

Orange County: 1.7 million workers, after adding 2,400 in a month and growing by 21,000 in a year. Hiring averaged 6,920 for the month in 2015-19. Unemployment? 3.7% vs. 3.9% a month earlier; 3.1% a year ago; and 3.6% average in 2015-19.

Inland Empire: 1.69 million workers, after adding 2,500 in a month and growing by 21,000 in a year. Hiring averaged 6,820 for the month in 2015-19. Unemployment? 4.8% vs. 5.1% a month earlier; 4.1% a year ago; and 5.2% average in 2015-19.

Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com