California ranks dead last for job growth in US, the first time since 1993.
California's job growth rate in 2023 was 0.87%, ranking it 51st among states and the District of Columbia. This is the first time since 1993 that California has been at the bottom of the job growth rankings. The state faced several challenges in 2023, including a weakening technology sector, labor unrest leading to strikes, and a population outflow, which created a shortage of workers.
Some California industries experienced job cuts, such as the movie business, temp agencies, lending, and warehouses. Additionally, major job markets like San Francisco saw a decline in jobs, while Los Angeles County and San Jose experienced minimal job growth.
In 1993, California also ranked 51st for job growth, with a 1% decline in job count due to aerospace work losses and a real estate crash fallout. Over the past 50 years, California has been more likely to be a hiring leader than a laggard, but last year's slow job growth should serve as a wake-up call for state leaders to not take job creation success for granted.
