We're Number One

(Chronicle table)

San Mateo County has the lowest unemployment rate (2.2%) in the State of California. Eight of the ten counties in California with the lowest unemployment rates are in the Bay Area. Given the difficulty in attracting workers to live in an area with an extremely high cost of housing, one could expect employers to expand elsewhere, but such was not the case.

Between May and June, employment in these two counties increased by about 5,000 jobs to 1,188,200. Business and professional services added 4,700 jobs and information grew by 2,200. Most technology-related jobs are in those two sectors. The financial sector grew by 900.

“Job growth in the Bay Area remains well ahead of the national average, with San Francisco, the Peninsula, San Jose, and the North Bay growing faster than the East Bay,” Jed Kolko, chief economist with job site Indeed, said in an email. “It’s striking how strong job growth remains in San Francisco and San Jose despite the high cost of living here, as most of the fastest-growing metros in the U.S. are relatively affordable” places in the Sunbelt and Mountain states.

If your housing is manageable (a big qualifier) and if you are able to work, then you should be able to find a good job.