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Kern County Labor Force Drops to 391,300 Despite Rising Nonfarm Jobs
Second-quarter figures show fewer workers in the county even as nonfarm jobs edge higher.
How we reported this
Kern County’s labor force fell to 391,300 in the second quarter of 2024 from 396,967 three months earlier, according to the latest Kern Economic Journal. Civilian employment slipped by 766 people to 356,467 over the same period.
Why the numbers matter now
Local workers and small-business owners track these quarterly updates because they shape decisions on hiring, housing costs and family budgets in a county where agriculture and energy remain central. A smaller labor force combined with an unemployment rate of 8.8 percent signals tighter job availability even while some sectors add positions.
The journal, produced at California State University, Bakersfield, compiles the county-level data alongside state and national readings so residents can compare conditions directly with the rest of California. Kern’s rate ranks among the five highest in the state, behind only Colusa, Imperial, Merced and Tulare counties.
Broader trends behind the local snapshot
Statewide, California’s unemployment rate eased to 5.2 percent from 5.3 percent, while the labor force contracted by 6,733. Kern mirrored part of that pattern: nonfarm employment rose by 2,900, yet overall participation dropped. Nationally, real GDP grew at a 2.8 percent annual rate in the second quarter after a 1.4 percent gain in the first three months, with current-dollar GDP reaching $28.63 trillion.
Those national and state figures set the backdrop for Kern residents weighing whether recent job gains in services or construction will offset losses elsewhere in the county’s economy. The journal notes that personal saving nationwide stood at $720.5 billion in the quarter, down from $777.3 billion, while the personal saving rate held at 3.5 percent.
Readers can follow the next release of county-level data in the August issue of the Kern Economic Journal to see whether the labor-force decline continues or reverses. Local workforce centers and community colleges often adjust training schedules based on these trends, giving residents a practical way to stay aligned with shifting demand.