Economy, jobs and prices in California, United States: official figures
The economy of California (gross domestic product) was worth $4.30 trillion in 2025 at current prices, 13.9% of the US total of $30.86 trillion; the largest of 51. In current dollars it was up 6.0% on 2024.
How fast is the economy of California growing?
After adjusting for inflation, real GDP in California grew 3.5% in 2025, against 2.3% for the United States; 3rd fastest-growing of 51.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyWhat is the GDP per capita of California?
Dividing 2025 GDP by the Census Bureau's population estimate gives $109,196 of output per resident, against $90,294 for the US economy divided by the population of the 50 states and DC; 6th highest of 51.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyIs the economy of California growing or shrinking?
In the second quarter of 2026, real GDP in California grew at an annual rate of 2.5% (United States: 2.2%); tied for 14th fastest-growing of 51.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyWhat are the main industries in California?
In 2025 the largest private industry in California's economy was real estate, rental and leasing (13.9% of GDP), followed by information (11.8%) and professional, scientific and technical services (9.8%). Government accounted for 10.6% and manufacturing for 9.1%; the manufacturing share was 25th lowest of 51 (United States: 9.5%).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyHow much do people in California spend?
Consumer spending (personal consumption expenditures) in California came to $70,076 per person in 2025 (United States: $61,062); 6th highest of 51.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyIs California expensive to live in?
Prices in California were 10.7% above the national average in 2024, by BEA's regional price parity of 110.7 (US = 100), which covers goods, services and housing; the most expensive of 51.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyWhat is the inflation rate in California?
Prices in California rose 1.3% in 2024, measured by BEA's implicit regional price deflator, against 2.6% nationally (PCE price index).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyWhat is the per capita income in California?
Personal income per person in California was $90,957 in 2025, against $77,028 for the United States; 6th highest of 51. It was up 4.8% on 2024 and up 29.8% on 2020, before inflation.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyWhat is the disposable income per person in California?
After taxes, disposable personal income per person was $76,866 in 2025 (United States: $67,251); 7th highest of 51.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyHow far does income go in California?
Adjusted for local price levels, real personal income per person in California was $63,028 in 2024 in 2017 dollars (United States: $59,195); 13th highest of 51.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · saved copyWhat is the median household income in California?
Median household income in California was $100,149 in 2024 (margin of error ±$381), against $81,604 for the United States; 6th highest of 51 by the point estimate. It was up 1.9% on 2023 after adjusting for inflation (American Community Survey).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow unequal are incomes in California?
The Gini index of household income inequality in California was 0.485 in 2024 (0 means equal incomes, 1 means one household has everything; United States: 0.481); 5th most unequal of 51.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in California?
The unemployment rate in California was 5.1% in September 2026 (seasonally adjusted, preliminary), down from 5.5% a year earlier; tied for 2nd highest of 51. The rate for the 50 states and DC combined was 4.2%.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · saved copyHow many people are unemployed in California?
In September 2026, 987,617 people in California were unemployed and 18,490,367 employed, out of a labor force of 19,477,984.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · saved copyWhat was the unemployment rate in California in 2025?
Over 2025 the unemployment rate in California averaged 5.5% (an 11-month average: October 2025 was not collected during the federal shutdown), against 5.3% in 2024; 2nd highest of 51. The lowest annual rate since 1976 was 4.1% in 2019.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · saved copyWhat is the average salary in California?
Workers covered by unemployment insurance in California were paid $96,963 on average in 2025 ($1,865 a week), up 5.2% on 2024; the US average was $78,720. That is 5th highest of 51.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · saved copyHow many jobs are there in California?
Employers in California had an average of 18,210,243 jobs on their payrolls in 2025 across 1,877,156 establishments, up 0.1% on 2024 (United States: up 0.5%).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · saved copyWhat is the median wage in California?
The median annual wage across all occupations in California was $58,240 in May 2025 (mean $80,690); 10th highest of 51. One in ten workers earned less than $35,950 and one in ten more than $159,080.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · saved copyWhat is the most common job in California?
The most common occupation in California in May 2025 was home health and personal care aides, with 970,150 workers and a median annual wage of $34,320.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · saved copyWhat is the median household income in California?
Median household income in California was $100,130 in 2024, 7th highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: $81,604). In 2019 it was $80,423, so it has risen 24.5% before allowing for inflation.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the average rent in California?
The median gross rent in California, including utilities, was $2,104 a month in 2024, up 5.6% on 2023 ($1,992); the highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: $1,487).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the median home value in California?
Homeowners in California valued their homes at a median of $759,500 in 2024, up 4.6% on 2023 ($725,800); 2nd highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: $360,600).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow affordable are homes in California?
The median home value in California was 7.6 times the median household income in 2024 ($759,500 against $100,130); 2nd highest ratio among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 4.4).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyIs rent affordable in California?
A household on the median income in California would spend 25.2% of its income on the median rent of $2,104 a month in 2024 (U.S.: 21.9%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow California compares with other states
Gross domestic product, 2025 (current dollars) (2025)
California ranks 1 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Gross domestic product, 2025 (current dollars) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $4.30 trillion |
| 2 | Texas | $2.93 trillion |
| 3 | New York | $2.47 trillion |
| 4 | Florida | $1.81 trillion |
| 5 | Illinois | $1.24 trillion |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $1.06 trillion |
| 7 | Ohio | $976.9 billion |
GDP per resident, 2025 (BEA GDP / Census population) (2025)
California ranks 6 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | GDP per resident, 2025 (BEA GDP / Census population) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Delaware | $115,043 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $113,724 |
| 5 | Washington | $111,518 |
| 6 | California | $109,196 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $103,727 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $103,020 |
| 9 | Nebraska | $102,386 |
Real GDP growth, 2025 (2025)
California ranks 3 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Real GDP growth, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | 5.1% |
| 2 | Alaska | 4.7% |
| 3 | California | 3.5% |
| 4 | South Carolina | 3.3% |
| 5 | Washington | 3.2% |
| 6 | Idaho | 3.1% |
| 7 | Kentucky | 3.0% |
Real GDP growth, 2026:Q2 (annual rate) (2026:Q2)
California ranks 14 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Real GDP growth, 2026:Q2 (annual rate) |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | South Dakota | 2.7% |
| 12 | Vermont | 2.7% |
| 13 | Alabama | 2.6% |
| 14 | California | 2.5% |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | 2.5% |
| 16 | Arizona | 2.5% |
| 17 | Michigan | 2.4% |
Personal income per person, 2025 (2025)
California ranks 6 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Personal income per person, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Massachusetts | $98,700 |
| 4 | New York | $91,504 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $91,109 |
| 6 | California | $90,957 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $89,720 |
| 8 | Washington | $88,944 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $88,145 |
Real personal income per person, 2024 (adjusted for local prices, 2017 dollars) (2024)
California ranks 13 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Real personal income per person, 2024 (adjusted for local prices, 2017 dollars) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Washington | $64,421 |
| 11 | New York | $64,153 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $63,142 |
| 13 | California | $63,028 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $62,039 |
| 15 | Virginia | $61,914 |
| 16 | Maryland | $61,111 |
Median household income, 2024 (ACS) (2024)
California ranks 6 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Median household income, 2024 (ACS) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | New Jersey | $104,294 |
| 4 | Maryland | $102,905 |
| 5 | Hawaii | $100,745 |
| 6 | California | $100,149 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $99,782 |
| 8 | Washington | $99,389 |
| 9 | Colorado | $97,113 |
Regional price parity, 2024 (US = 100) (2024)
California ranks 1 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Regional price parity, 2024 (US = 100) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 110.7 |
| 2 | Hawaii | 110.0 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | 109.9 |
| 4 | New Jersey | 108.8 |
| 5 | New York | 107.9 |
| 6 | Washington | 107.0 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 105.8 |
Unemployment rate, September 2026 (seasonally adjusted) (September 2026)
California ranks 2 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Unemployment rate, September 2026 (seasonally adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 5.6% |
| 2 | California | 5.1% |
| 3 | Connecticut | 5.1% |
| 4 | Michigan | 5.0% |
| 5 | Oregon | 5.0% |
| 6 | Arizona | 4.9% |
| 7 | Washington | 4.8% |
Unemployment rate, 2025 annual average (2025)
California ranks 2 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Unemployment rate, 2025 annual average |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 6.3% |
| 2 | California | 5.5% |
| 3 | Nevada | 5.3% |
| 4 | Michigan | 5.2% |
| 5 | New Jersey | 5.2% |
| 6 | Oregon | 5.2% |
| 7 | Delaware | 4.8% |
Labor force participation rate, September 2026 (September 2026)
California ranks 29 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Labor force participation rate, September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | Washington | 62.0% |
| 27 | Rhode Island | 62.0% |
| 28 | Oklahoma | 61.9% |
| 29 | California | 61.4% |
| 30 | Idaho | 61.4% |
| 31 | Montana | 61.4% |
| 32 | New York | 61.3% |
Average annual pay, 2025 (QCEW) (2025)
California ranks 5 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Average annual pay, 2025 (QCEW) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Massachusetts | $100,085 |
| 3 | New York | $99,941 |
| 4 | Washington | $99,675 |
| 5 | California | $96,963 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $90,982 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $86,247 |
| 8 | Colorado | $84,153 |
Median annual wage, all occupations, May 2025 (OEWS) (May 2025)
California ranks 10 of 51, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Median annual wage, all occupations, May 2025 (OEWS) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | New York | $59,670 |
| 8 | Maryland | $59,510 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $58,570 |
| 10 | California | $58,240 |
| 11 | Oregon | $57,000 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $56,920 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $56,780 |
Median household income (2024)
California ranks 7 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Maryland | $102,835 |
| 5 | Hawaii | $101,581 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $100,364 |
| 7 | California | $100,130 |
| 8 | Washington | $99,309 |
| 9 | Colorado | $96,871 |
| 10 | Utah | $96,398 |
Median gross rent (monthly) (2024)
California ranks 1 of 51, highest first. Renter-occupied units paying cash rent
| Rank | Region | Median gross rent (monthly) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $2,104 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $1,942 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $1,931 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $1,848 |
| 5 | Washington | $1,824 |
| 6 | Colorado | $1,822 |
| 7 | Florida | $1,812 |
Median value of owner-occupied homes (2024)
California ranks 2 of 51, highest first. Owner-reported value
| Rank | Region | Median value of owner-occupied homes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $875,900 |
| 2 | California | $759,500 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $733,400 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $607,400 |
| 5 | Washington | $602,200 |
| 6 | Colorado | $574,600 |
| 7 | Utah | $545,200 |
More on California: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: Household Income in States and Metropolitan Areas: 2024 (ACSBR-025), Appendix Table 1: median household income and Gini index by state, 2023 and 2024 American Community Survey, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5de1b0d5ec46…)
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: SASUMMARY: State annual summary statistics: personal income, GDP, consumer spending, price indexes, and employment (updated 30 September 2026), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a3757d207c05…)
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: SAGDP: Annual GDP by state, 1997-2025 (table SAGDP2, GDP in current dollars by industry), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3d3c5bc7bd24…)
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: SQGDP: Quarterly GDP by state, 2005-2026 Q2 (table SQGDP11, percent change in real GDP at annual rate), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1649260cdceb…)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Local Area Unemployment Statistics: employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population, states, monthly, seasonally adjusted, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7bb6f18d4145…)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Local Area Unemployment Statistics: employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population, states, annual averages 1976-2025, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 262aba7d00df…)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 state estimates (state_M2025_dl.xlsx), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 74d5be0e1df8…)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages, all industries (open data CSV slice), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5a5f89142aae…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Median gross rent (B25064), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8624f9775add…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Median value of owner-occupied homes (B25077), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 27120d5d8a5f…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2024 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cb52c47d75c1…)
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