California vs New York: Unemployment Rate
New York has a lower unemployment rate than California.
Visual Comparison
Difference: 0.90 percentage points — New York leads.
Related Context
Jobs Picture
Unemployment is one signal — the employment ratio and job growth round out the full picture.
What This Means
California vs New York: Unemployment Rate in context
New York has a unemployment rate of 4.6%, compared with 5.5% in California. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (BLS, December 2025).
People Also Ask
California vs New York Unemployment Rate — Common Questions
Q What is California's unemployment rate?
California's unemployment rate is 5.5%.
Q What is New York's unemployment rate?
New York's unemployment rate is 4.6%.
Q Which state has a lower unemployment rate — California or New York?
New York has a lower unemployment rate than California.
More Comparisons: California vs New York
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Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset, with minimum wage data from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.