Stanislaus County’s unemployment rate for February 2025 remained at 7.3%, reflecting a stable labor market as the region continues to experience economic growth, according to the latest data from the Employment Development Department.

This rate aligns with the county’s January unemployment rate and represents a slight improvement compared to February 2024, when the rate stood at 7.4%.

Ceres showed a jobless rate of 8.5 percent, with approximately 1,800 without work out of a labor force of 21,600.

Hughson had an unemployment rate of 6 percent, or 3,300 out of work among the city labor force of approximately 3,500.

Keyes had a 9.2 percent unemployment rate, equating to 200 out of work in a workforce of 2,000.

The lowest jobless rate in the county was East Oakdale where 3.4 percent were without jobs while the Bystrom area of south Modesto had the highest rate at 17.7 percent.

The county’s employment landscape showed mixed trends across various industries. Total employment in February 2025 reached 204,400, marking an increase of 600 jobs from January 2025 and a significant year-over-year gain of 6,300 jobs. The agricultural sector led the way, with Total Farm employment rising by 900 jobs from January to February 2025, reaching 12,200 jobs — a 1,600-job increase compared to February 2024.

The February employment summary reveals further details about other industries. Professional and Business Services saw a slight dip, shedding 100 jobs from January, reducing employment to 14,100. Conversely, Private Education and Health Services added 300 jobs month-over-month, reaching 40,000 — representing a substantial increase of 1,600 jobs compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, Leisure and Hospitality, Other Services, and Government remained steady month-over-month, with Government showing an impressive year-over-year growth of 1,100 jobs, totaling 33,100.

However, not all sectors experienced growth. The Total Nonfarm sector saw a slight decline, losing 300 jobs from January to February 2025, though it still posted a year-over-year gain of 4,700 jobs. Manufacturing and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities also faced minor job losses month-over-month but showed positive growth compared to the previous year.

California’s unemployment rate held steady at 5.4 percent despite California’s nonfarm payroll jobs decreasing by 7,500 jobs in February 2025, according to the latest Employment Development Department data coming from two separate surveys. February’s job reduction follows a downward revised job loss of 21,400 for January 2025.

The job market expansion reached 58 months in February 2025. California gained 3,083,700 jobs since April 2020, averaging 53,167 jobs per month. California’s total non-farm jobs increased by 78,200 between February 2024 and February 2025.

Three of California’s 11 industry sectors gained jobs in February with Private Education and Health Services (+18,400) showing gains for the 37th straight month with above average gains in private elementary and secondary schools, and large gains in outpatient care services on the health services side.

Government (+3,600) also showed a month-over job gain with the largest gains in Local Government (+5,000). Both Federal (-1,200) and State (-200) Government posted job losses. This was the largest loss in Federal Government since February 2021.

Professional & Business Services (-7,700) posted the State’s largest month-over loss with most of the losses coming from Computer Systems Design and Related Services as well as with Legal Services and Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting.