Why Is This Important?
The unemployment rate is a basic indicator of economic vitality. Unemployment rates fluctuate with economic cycles and vary across regions. Unemployed individuals are unable to earn money to meet financial obligations, may lack health insurance they normally would receive through an employer, and could be at risk of losing their home.
What Is a Sustainable State?
A sustainable state is one where the level of unemployment is low and the unemployed have access to training and other resources to help them find employment.
How Are We Doing?
- In 2007, the unemployment rate in San Mateo County was 3.8 percent. The average number of unemployed individuals was roughly 14,400 each month.
- The San Mateo County unemployment rate continued to be lower than either the state or federal rates, which were 5.3 percent and 4.6 percent respectively. The county unemployment rate has been below the state and federal rates for each of the last ten years.
- Although slightly higher than 2006, the 2007 unemployment rate was still far below the high rates of unemployment the county experienced in either 2002 or 2003.
Data source: California Employment Development Department (2007 figures
are preliminary)
- In 2007, the unemployment rate was higher than in 2006 for every city in the county.
- At 9.5 percent, East Palo Alto had the highest unemployment rate in the county and has had the highest rate among cities in the county for each year this decade. However, the unemployment rate in East Palo Alto has declined significantly from 2003 when the rate was 14 percent.
- Hillsborough had the lowest unemployment rate at 1.5 percent and has consistently had the lowest unemployment rate in the county since 2000.
Data source: California Employment Development Department
See appendix page 74, CLICK HERE. Researchers: Robert Chen and Jasmine Dong