San Diego County's unemployment rate decreased to 5% in August, down from a revised 5.2% in July and above last year's 4.9%, according to figures released Friday by the state Employment Development Department.
August's unadjusted unemployment rate was 5.8% for California and 4.5% for the nation during the same period.
Between July 2025 and August 2025, total nonfarm employment increased from 1,558,200 to 1,560,200, a gain of 2,000 jobs. Agricultural employment was unchanged.
The government sector led all industries, gaining 2,300 jobs over the month. All of these gains came in local government, which posted a 6,000-job growth, but was offset by the loss of 3,700 state government jobs.
Leisure and hospitality, private education and health services, trade, transportation, and utilities, and other services also gained jobs over the month: a combined 2,400.
On the other side, professional and business services fell by a combined 1,500 jobs and four additional sectors also recorded combined losses of 1,200 jobs.
Between August 2024 and August 2025, total nonfarm employment increased by 7,700, while agricultural employment was unchanged.
Private education and health services posted the largest gains here, leading all sectors by adding 12,500 jobs. Health care and social assistance were responsible for 12,800, all of the growth in this sector, offsetting 300 jobs lost in private educational services.
Another three industry sectors saw jobs added over the year: Government, leisure and hospitality and other services. Government was responsible for 7,400 of the 9,800 jobs gained in these sectors.
A total of six sectors lost employment in the year-over data, led by professional and business services, which declined by 7,000 jobs โ almost half of the 14,600 jobs lost in these sectors. Manufacturing, financial activities, information, trade, transportation, and utilities, and construction saw the remainder of the job losses.
