How to resolve AdBlock issue? LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The year 2025 closed with an improved unemployment rate for California, while Lake County’s rate was up slightly at year’s end.
The California Employment Development Department’s newest report said California’s unemployment rate came in at 5.5 in December, a decrease from the revised rate of 5.6% posted for November.
Lake County’s unemployment rate for December was 7.7%. In November, the rate was 7.5%. The December 2024 unemployment rate was 7.6%.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the national unemployment rate in December was 4.4%, down from 4.5% in November. The December 2024 national unemployment rate was 4.1%.
The Employment Development Department report said that in December, total nonfarm jobs in California’s 11 major industries amounted to 18,021,200 – a loss of 1,700 from November. This followed November’s downward revision of 2,000 jobs, resulting in a month-over November gain of 30,500 jobs.
The report said the number of Californians employed in December was 18,839,100, up 37,800 from November and up 221,100 compared to December of last year.
At the same time, the number of unemployed Californians was 1,096,100 in December, a decrease of 8,800 from November, but an increase of 20,600 from December 2024.
In Lake County, the number of employed totaled 26,310 in December, down by just 10 from the previous month. Unemployed individuals totaled 2,020 in December, compared to 1,990 in November.
December’s year-over nonfarm job loss (-11,200) marks the first year-over decrease since March 2021, the report explained.
For Lake County, total nonfarm jobs grew from 17,260 in November to 17,300 in December, a 0.2% increase over the month and a 1.9% year-over growth.
Regarding total farm jobs, the number of jobs in the agriculture industry decreased from November by 3,400 to a total of 425,100 jobs in December. The agriculture industry had 3,600 more farm jobs in December 2025 than it did in December 2024, the Employment Development Department reported.
For Lake County, the total farm job category showed the most growth from month to month but the largest year-over loss. From November to December, the category grew by 25%, 240 to 300, but was down 62.5% since December 2024.
The report said five of California's 11 industry sectors gained jobs in December. Most notable of that group included the following:
• Private education and health services (+5,000) showing gains for the 47th consecutive month as California’s population continues to age. The industry saw gains posted in hospitals and social assistance. In Lake County, it grew by 1.2% over the month.
• Government (+4,500) saw the second largest month-over increase due, in part, to gains in local government (+3,900) as well as from above average gains in state government educational services. In Lake County, this category was down 0.4% from November to December.
• Construction (-5,000) experienced the largest month-over decline driven largely by very wet weather throughout the month with above average losses in utility system construction and building finishing contractors. The mining, logging and construction category showed no change for Lake County from November to December.
Lake County’s unemployment rate for December gained it a statewide rank of 47 out of California’s 58 counties.
Its neighboring counties had the following rankings: Colusa, 14%, No. 57; Glenn, 7%, No. 42; Mendocino, 5.7%, No. 27; Napa, 4.3%, No. 8; Sonoma, 4.2%, No. 6; and Yolo, 5.8%, No. 29.
The lowest unemployment in the state in December was in San Mateo County, which had a 3.5% rate, while Imperial County had the highest with 18.6%.
In related data that figures into the state’s unemployment rate, there were 386,980 people certifying for Unemployment Insurance benefits during the December 2025 sample week.
That compares to 363,076 people in November and 398,795 people in December 2024. Concurrently, 47,492 initial claims were processed in the December 2025 sample week, which was a month-over decrease of 6,059 claims from November and a year-over decrease of 1,523 claims from December 2024, the Employment Development Department said.
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