Bay Area gains jobs in December, but losses jolt California

Fueled by an upswing in the South Bay, the Bay Area gained thousands of jobs in December 2025. California as a whole, however, suffered losses in a setback that capped a dreary economic year for the nation’s largest state.

The region added 2,300 nonfarm payroll jobs last month, according to a report released by the state Employment Development Department on Friday. Overall, the state lost 1,700.

The Port of Oakland as seen on Jan. 13, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

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