Bay Area Employment Still Down by 400K, Labor Force Dropping

While the estimated number of people living in San Francisco with a paycheck increased by 5,900 in August to 515,900, the labor force shrank by 7,800 to 565,700 for an unemployment rate of 8.8 percent (versus 9.4 percent at the height of the Great Recession).

As such, while employment ticked up last month, there are still 58,000 fewer people employed in San Francisco than prior to the pandemic, or 57,300 fewer than at the same time last year, with a growing year-over-year decline in the labor force (-21,000) as well.

Over in Alameda County, which includes the City of Oakland, while the number of employed residents increased by 8,000 in August for a total of 727,100 employed, but there are still 92,200 fewer employed people in the County than at the same time last year and the labor force dropped by 12,900 last month to 806,200, which is down by 39,000 on a year-over-year basis, for an unemployment rate of 9.8 percent.

Across the greater East Bay, including Solano County, while net employment increased by 16,900 to 1,391,300 last month, there are still 173,600 fewer employed residents than at the same time last year and the labor force dropped by 22,400 in August, for a blended unemployment rate of 9.9 percent.

Up in Marin, employment increased by 1,400 in August but is still down by 14,300 on a year-over-year basis while the labor force dropped by 1,400 as well for an unemployment rate of 6.9 percent. Employment in Napa inched up by 500 to 65,600 but is still down by 7,800 on a year-over-year basis, while the labor force dropped by 1,200 for an unemployment rate of 8.4 percent. And while the number of employed residents in Sonoma County increased by 4,700 last month for a total of 232,500 employed, employment is still down by 22,100 on a year-over-year basis and the labor force shed 1,100 in August for an unemployment rate of 7.7 percent.

Down in the valley, while employment in San Mateo County increased by 4,700 in August for a total of 407,600 employed, employment is still down by 45,300 on a year-over-year basis, and the labor force shrank by 4,000 last month, for an unemployment rate of 7.5 percent. And while the number of employed residents in Santa Clara County increased by 9,300 last month, for a total of 947,200 employed, the labor force dropped by 11,400, for an unemployment rate of 7.5 percent with 83,100 fewer employed residents than at the same time last year.

And while net employment increased by 43,400 across the Bay Area last month, total employment (3,683,300) is still down by over 400,000 on a year-over-year basis and the labor force actually dropped by 49,300 last month to 4,029,900, which is now down by 173,300 on a year-over-year basis, for an unemployment rate of 8.6 percent.