SLO County unemployment rate continues steady decline
January 10, 2026
By KAREN VELIE
San Luis Obispo County’s unemployment rate fell slightly in November to 4.5%, the state Employment Development Department reported Friday. During the same time, unemployment rates fell in California and remained steady in the United States.
The county unemployment rate fell from 4.8% in September to 4.5% in November. The state is not currently providing numbers for Oct. 2025.
During November, job gains were seen in the local retail sector which gained 400 jobs and in the state education sector which garnered 400 jobs.
In the jobs losses category, the mining and construction sector led with 200 jobs eliminated.
San Luis Obispo County is ranked ninth out of 58 California counties for lower numbers of unemployed workers. SLO County’s unemployment rate is higher than the national average of 4.3% and lower than the state’s 5.4% rate.
In California, San Mateo County at 3.8% has the lowest unemployment rate and Imperial County comes in on the bottom with an unemployment rate of 20%.
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