finance
Kern County Adds Workers in Fourth Quarter as Services Sector Expands
The latest Kern Economic Journal shows local employment gains concentrated in services while energy and goods-producing jobs declined.
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How we reported this
Kern County’s labor force reached 398,133 in the fourth quarter of 2024, up from 397,200 three months earlier, while civilian employment climbed by 3,367 to 366,300, the Kern Economic Journal reports.
Why the numbers matter for local firms
Businesses in Bakersfield watch these quarterly shifts closely because they signal where hiring and spending may head next. A larger labor force paired with solid employment gains can support consumer spending at local retailers and service providers, yet the mix of job losses in mining, construction and manufacturing points to ongoing pressure on the county’s traditional energy and industrial base.
The journal tracks these changes through official labor-market data and highlights how Bakersfield’s nonfarm employers added 8,467 positions overall even as farming employment fell by 2,867. Within the city, the service industry posted the clearest gains, adding 9,133 workers, while mining and logging lost 133 positions, construction shed 167 and manufacturing cut 367.
Sector breakdown and what comes next
Inside services, trade, transportation and utilities added 1,733 jobs, private education and health services grew by 1,200, and professional and business services increased by 133. Leisure and hospitality slipped by 33. Government employment also rose, with local government adding 5,933 workers and state government adding 200.
Nationally the same issue notes real GDP rose 2.4 percent in the fourth quarter after a 3.1 percent gain in the third, while the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index improved to 72.1 from 68.1. For Bakersfield employers, the combination of steady national growth and local service-sector hiring suggests demand for workers in health care, logistics and professional services may stay firm, even as oil-related activity continues to adjust.
Companies can use the quarterly pattern to plan hiring in expanding areas and to watch for further softening in energy support roles. The Kern Economic Journal appears four times a year and supplies the detailed county-level tables that local decision-makers rely on to adjust budgets and forecasts.
This article is general information only and is not personal financial or investment advice. Consider your own circumstances and seek licensed professional advice before making financial decisions.