Jobs and Unemployment
How is San Joaquin County's job market evolving?
51%
fewer San Joaquin County residents were unemployed in 2025 compared to 2010, reflecting a significant improvement in the local job market since the Great Recession.
16.5%
of San Joaquin County’s workforce is employed in the Transportation and Warehousing sector as of 2022, making it the largest employment sector in the county.
6.7%
of San Joaquin County’s labor force remained unemployed in 2025, indicating a significant recovery from the recessionary peak but highlighting the need for continued efforts to further reduce unemployment and support economic recovery.
Jobs and Unemployment
Employment, Unemployment, and Labor Force
San Joaquin County’s labor force increased from 311,956 in 2010 to 378,701 in 2025, a 21.4% increase. Resident employment increased from 259,946 to 353,368, or 35.9%. The 2025 estimate includes 25,333 unemployed residents and an unemployment rate of 6.7%. These are resident labor-force and employment estimates, not workplace payroll jobs.
6.7%
of San Joaquin County’s labor force remained unemployed in 2025, indicating a significant recovery from the recessionary peak but highlighting the need for continued efforts to further reduce unemployment and support economic recovery.
Employment Trend by Sector
San Joaquin County’s job market is diverse, with significant contributions from various sectors. Over the past decade, employment has grown in nearly every sector, with logistics experiencing the largest growth. Whereas the transportation and warehousing sector provided nearly 7 % of jobs in 2013, it provided about 16.5% of jobs in 2022—the highest share of any sector. The nearly 229% growth in the transportation and warehousing sector’s jobs in San Joaquin County from 2013 to 2022 amounts to about 44,216 additional jobs and reflects the county’s strategic location and robust infrastructure for logistics and transportation. This sectoral growth underscores the importance of continued attention to these areas to ensure equitable and sustainable socio-economic development and job creation for the region.
229%
growth in the transportation and warehousing sector jobs in San Joaquin County from 2013 to 2022 reflects the county’s strategic location and robust infrastructure for logistics and transportation.
Comparative Job Growth
San Joaquin County’s job base has grown at a faster rate than both California and the nation since 2012, which reflects the county’s rapid population growth and expanding local economy. Sustaining this momentum will require continued efforts to strengthen and diversify the local economy to promote sustainable job growth moving forward.
39.5%
cumulative job growth in San Joaquin County since 2012, nearly doubling the national rate of 17.6% over the same period.
Employment by Sector
San Joaquin County’s employment distribution across sectors reveals the diverse economic landscape of the region. As of 2022, Transportation and Warehousing leads as the largest employment sector, accounting for 16.5% of the workforce, which reflects the county’s significant role as a logistics hub. This is followed by Educational and Health Services (11.8%), Government (11.3%), and Professional and Business Services (10.0%). The substantial representation of these sectors underscores the county’s evolving economy, with strong emphasis on logistics, education, healthcare, and public services. This distribution highlights potential areas for workforce development initiatives and economic diversification strategies.
16.5%
of San Joaquin County’s workforce is employed in the Transportation and Warehousing sector as of 2022, making it the largest employment sector in the county.
Major Occupation by Income
San Joaquin County’s occupational wage distribution reveals a broad spectrum of income levels, reflecting high-growth opportunities and persistent economic disparities. Jobs are grouped here by their occupation’s annual mean wage, not by what each worker individually earns. Because broad occupational groups overlap with the detailed occupations inside them, the totals for these wage bands cannot be added together as counts of distinct jobs. Occupational wages in San Joaquin County vary widely, with high-paying roles in management, education, and healthcare-related fields offering an average annual wage of $103,324. These positions provide strong career mobility for individuals with advanced education or technical skills. In contrast, many essential jobs, including those in food service, agriculture, personal care, and maintenance, earn significantly less, with a mean annual wage of $35,907. This highlights the need for targeted training and workforce development to increase income opportunities for workers in lower-wage occupations.
$35,907
is the mean annual wage for essential lower-wage jobs, including food service, agriculture, personal care, and maintenance.