Southern California bosses all but stopped hiring last year.
To help explain the region’s overall economic malaise, my trusty spreadsheet reviewed revised job stats for Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties from the state Employment Development Department.
The newly released numbers show the six-county region had 9.89 million workers as of December after adding just 8,900 new positions last year. That meager staffing boost was 85% below the 59,300 new workers in 2024 and 93% off 129,800 average annual growth since the end of the Great Recession in 2010.
Employers grew queasy about staffing as the overall economy cooled due to everything from the Trump administration’s trade policies to stubbornly high inflation and interest rates, to cost-cutting moves tied to artificial intelligence, to shaky consumer confidence. Trump’s immigration crackdown may have also amplified a worker shortage, further cooling hiring.
Elsewhere
Across the rest of California, there were 8.17 million workers after 47,700 payroll additions last year.
So only 16% of the state’s 2025 job growth was in Southern California.
The rest of the state’s employment increase was up 27% from 37,500 in 2024, but 60% below 2010-24’s average annual growth of 118,200. The Bay Area, in particular, benefited from the staffing needs of firms involved in artificial intelligence development.
Metro math
Within Southern California’s five metro areas, the Inland Empire added the most jobs.
Riverside and San Bernardino counties had 1.72 million workers after 11,100 additions last year. However, that’s a 58% dip from 26,500 in 2024 and 72% below 2010-24’s average annual growth of 39,400.
Orange County was the region’s only job loser. Its 1.68 million workers were down 7,600 after last year’s cuts. That drop compared to 9,000 adds in 2024 and 2010-24’s average annual growth of 21,100.
Other metros in Southern California …
Los Angeles County: 4.59 million workers after 2,600 additions last year. That’s an 84% dip vs. 16,200 in 2024, and 94% below 2010-24’s average annual growth of 44,400.
San Diego County: 1.57 million workers after 2,800 additions last year. That’s a 43% dip from 4,900 in 2024 and 87% below 2010-24’s average annual growth of 22,100.
Ventura County: 318,600 workers, flat for 2025. No change compared to 2,700 adds in 2024 and 2010-24’s average annual growth of 2,800.
Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com