Bronze sculpture "Depression Breadline" by George Segal, FDR Memorial, Wash. DC.
By April 2020, Los Angeles County experienced its worst surge of unemployment since, quite likely, the Great Depression of the 1930s. For most of 2020, the county's unemployment rate remained in the double digits, something the labor force had not seen in a decade. This contrasted harshly against Los Angeles County's average 2019 unemployment rate of 4.4 percent.
Data not seasonally adjusted. Data may not add due to rounding.
| Month | Civilian Labor Force | Civilian Employment | Civilian Unemployment | Civilian Unemployment Rate* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5,247,800 | 5,010,300 | 237,500 | 4.5% |
| February | 5,265,500 | 5,038,400 | 227,100 | 4.3% |
| March | 5,023,100 | 4,687,500 | 335,600 | 6.7% |
| April | 4,809,300 | 3,966,300 | 843,000 | 17.5% |
| Month | Civilian Labor Force | Civilian Employment | Civilian Unemployment | Civilian Unemployment Rate* |
| May | 4,703,200 | 3,799,600 | 903,600 | 19.2% |
| June | 4,935,000 | 4,058,700 | 876,300 | 17.8% |
| July | 5,044,800 | 4,117,900 | 926,900 | 18.4% |
| August | 5,010,900 | 4,180,800 | 830,100 | 16.6% |
| Month | Civilian Labor Force | Civilian Employment | Civilian Unemployment | Civilian Unemployment Rate* |
| September | 4,864,100 | 4,284,100 | 580,000 | 11.9% |
| October | 4,898,500 | 4,368,200 | 530,300 | 10.8% |
| November | 4,930,000 | 4,404,600 | 525,400 | 10.7% |
| December | 4,894,800 | 4,354,900 | 539,900 | 11.0% |
| Annual Average | 4,968,900 | 4,355,900 | 613,000 | 12.3% |
* The unemployment rate is calculated using unrounded data.
Labor force data reflect the March 2020 annual revision (or benchmark) and Census 2014 population controls at the state level.
Source: California Employment Development Department
Also see: Annual Employment/Unemployment in Los Angeles County
