The Inland Empire’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.3% in March 2025, reflecting a slight 0.1% decrease from the 5.4% unemployment rates seen in the first two months of the year. The region’s unemployment rate has mirrored California’s unemployment rate this year with the rate dropping to 5.3% in March after two months at 5.4% in January and February. The unemployment rate in the US ticked up by 0.1% to 4.2% in March.

Over the last three months, 12,300 individuals joined the labor force—either by finding a job or resuming their job search—growing the total civilian labor force in Riverside and San Bernardino to 2.247 million people. The growth in the labor force and the decline in unemployment demonstrate that residents continue to find employment opportunities in the region, seeing promise in the Inland Empire-Desert region’s economic outlook. While it remains to be seen which industry sectors will drive regional employment growth moving forward, the region’s labor force appears to be eager to work and support the region as it changes and grows.

Read the most recent reporting from the COE on regional labor force analysis here.