Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the West Coast
Key facts
- #1 San Francisco County, CA: 58 per 100
- #2 Santa Clara County, CA: 21 per 100
- #3 San Mateo County, CA: 18 per 100
- 35 counties ranked in the West Coast
- Data as of November 2026
For comparison: 6 per 100 across all ranked counties.
- 1San Francisco County CA58 per 100
- 2Santa Clara County CA21 per 100
- 3San Mateo County CA18 per 100
- 4King County WA13 per 100
- 5Polk County OR7 per 100
- 6Orange County CA7 per 100
- 7Alameda County CA6 per 100
- 8San Diego County CA5 per 100
- 9Los Angeles County CA5 per 100
- 10Multnomah County OR4 per 100
What stands out
- The lead is wide: San Francisco County (58 per 100) is well clear of Multnomah County at #10 (4 per 100).
- Polk County reaches #5 on a sample of 128 openings, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
- San Francisco County is the largest market in the top ten, with 11,689 openings behind its figure.
- Counties with fewer than 100 openings are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.
Why this ranking matters
What it shows
Counties differ in how many professional openings there are for each person looking for work. The ratio is one way to compare how much hiring is happening in a place against how many people need it.
How to use it
Use it to compare places, not to count your own odds. Our openings cover professional roles on the career sites we track, and the unemployed include people in every kind of work.
The top 25
- 1
San Francisco County CA
58 per 100
- Professional openings
- 11,689
- People unemployed
- 20,118
- Unemployment rate
- 4.0%
Based on 11,689 openings.
- 2
Santa Clara County CA
21 per 100
- Professional openings
- 9,172
- People unemployed
- 43,319
- Unemployment rate
- 4.2%
Based on 9,172 openings.
- 3
San Mateo County CA
18 per 100
- Professional openings
- 2,927
- People unemployed
- 15,961
- Unemployment rate
- 3.9%
Based on 2,927 openings.
- 4
King County WA
13 per 100
- Professional openings
- 8,591
- People unemployed
- 65,564
- Unemployment rate
- 4.8%
Based on 8,591 openings.
- 5
Polk County OR
7 per 100
- Professional openings
- 128
- People unemployed
- 1,923
- Unemployment rate
- 4.0%
Based on 128 openings.
- 6
Orange County CA
7 per 100
- Professional openings
- 4,573
- People unemployed
- 69,481
- Unemployment rate
- 4.3%
Based on 4,573 openings.
- 7
Alameda County CA
6 per 100
- Professional openings
- 2,273
- People unemployed
- 40,184
- Unemployment rate
- 4.7%
Based on 2,273 openings.
- 8
San Diego County CA
5 per 100
- Professional openings
- 3,888
- People unemployed
- 78,158
- Unemployment rate
- 4.7%
Based on 3,888 openings.
- 9
Los Angeles County CA
5 per 100
- Professional openings
- 10,860
- People unemployed
- 224,519
- Unemployment rate
- 4.5%
Based on 10,860 openings.
- 10
Multnomah County OR
4 per 100
- Professional openings
- 843
- People unemployed
- 20,107
- Unemployment rate
- 4.3%
Based on 843 openings.
- 11
Sacramento County CA
4 per 100
- Professional openings
- 1,571
- People unemployed
- 40,109
- Unemployment rate
- 5.1%
Based on 1,571 openings.
- 12
Benton County WA
4 per 100
- Professional openings
- 133
- People unemployed
- 3,657
- Unemployment rate
- 3.5%
Based on 133 openings.
- 13
Santa Barbara County CA
3 per 100
- Professional openings
- 331
- People unemployed
- 10,139
- Unemployment rate
- 4.5%
Based on 331 openings.
- 14
Washington County OR
3 per 100
- Professional openings
- 436
- People unemployed
- 14,060
- Unemployment rate
- 4.1%
Based on 436 openings.
- 15
Placer County CA
3 per 100
- Professional openings
- 250
- People unemployed
- 9,245
- Unemployment rate
- 4.4%
Based on 250 openings.
- 16
Marin County CA
2 per 100
- Professional openings
- 123
- People unemployed
- 5,315
- Unemployment rate
- 4.3%
Based on 123 openings.
- 17
Deschutes County OR
2 per 100
- Professional openings
- 100
- People unemployed
- 4,373
- Unemployment rate
- 3.9%
Based on 100 openings.
- 18
Spokane County WA
2 per 100
- Professional openings
- 179
- People unemployed
- 8,480
- Unemployment rate
- 3.2%
Based on 179 openings.
- 19
Sonoma County CA
2 per 100
- Professional openings
- 211
- People unemployed
- 10,697
- Unemployment rate
- 4.3%
Based on 211 openings.
- 20
Clark County WA
2 per 100
- Professional openings
- 174
- People unemployed
- 9,201
- Unemployment rate
- 3.6%
Based on 174 openings.
- 21
Contra Costa County CA
2 per 100
- Professional openings
- 488
- People unemployed
- 27,772
- Unemployment rate
- 4.8%
Based on 488 openings.
- 22
San Luis Obispo County CA
2 per 100
- Professional openings
- 103
- People unemployed
- 6,080
- Unemployment rate
- 4.6%
Based on 103 openings.
- 23
Snohomish County WA
2 per 100
- Professional openings
- 371
- People unemployed
- 22,661
- Unemployment rate
- 4.9%
Based on 371 openings.
- 24
Lane County OR
2 per 100
- Professional openings
- 132
- People unemployed
- 8,335
- Unemployment rate
- 4.4%
Based on 132 openings.
- 25
Santa Cruz County CA
2 per 100
- Professional openings
- 110
- People unemployed
- 7,120
- Unemployment rate
- 5.1%
Based on 110 openings.
Full ranking
All 35 counties that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | County | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco County CA | 58 per 100 | 11,689 |
| 2 | Santa Clara County CA | 21 per 100 | 9,172 |
| 3 | San Mateo County CA | 18 per 100 | 2,927 |
| 4 | King County WA | 13 per 100 | 8,591 |
| 5 | Polk County OR | 7 per 100 | 128 |
| 6 | Orange County CA | 7 per 100 | 4,573 |
| 7 | Alameda County CA | 6 per 100 | 2,273 |
| 8 | San Diego County CA | 5 per 100 | 3,888 |
| 9 | Los Angeles County CA | 5 per 100 | 10,860 |
| 10 | Multnomah County OR | 4 per 100 | 843 |
| 11 | Sacramento County CA | 4 per 100 | 1,571 |
| 12 | Benton County WA | 4 per 100 | 133 |
| 13 | Santa Barbara County CA | 3 per 100 | 331 |
| 14 | Washington County OR | 3 per 100 | 436 |
| 15 | Placer County CA | 3 per 100 | 250 |
| 16 | Marin County CA | 2 per 100 | 123 |
| 17 | Deschutes County OR | 2 per 100 | 100 |
| 18 | Spokane County WA | 2 per 100 | 179 |
| 19 | Sonoma County CA | 2 per 100 | 211 |
| 20 | Clark County WA | 2 per 100 | 174 |
| 21 | Contra Costa County CA | 2 per 100 | 488 |
| 22 | San Luis Obispo County CA | 2 per 100 | 103 |
| 23 | Snohomish County WA | 2 per 100 | 371 |
| 24 | Lane County OR | 2 per 100 | 132 |
| 25 | Santa Cruz County CA | 2 per 100 | 110 |
| 26 | Ventura County CA | 2 per 100 | 318 |
| 27 | Solano County CA | 1 per 100 | 138 |
| 28 | San Bernardino County CA | 1 per 100 | 670 |
| 29 | Kern County CA | 1 per 100 | 325 |
| 30 | Pierce County WA | 1 per 100 | 241 |
| 31 | Monterey County CA | 1 per 100 | 114 |
| 32 | San Joaquin County CA | 1 per 100 | 193 |
| 33 | Stanislaus County CA | 1 per 100 | 138 |
| 34 | Riverside County CA | 1 per 100 | 557 |
| 35 | Fresno County CA | 1 per 100 | 223 |
How this ranking works
A county's score is the number of open professional roles in our data, per 100 people unemployed there (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted). Roles are placed in the county of the city their posting names; remote and statewide roles are left out.
Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, and the unemployed include people in every kind of work, so the figure compares places with one another; it is not a count of the jobs an unemployed person could take. Only counties with at least 100 openings and 500 unemployed people are ranked.
Sample bar: counties with fewer than 100 openings are not ranked.
Sources: NextChapter job data: open professional roles by county; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (not seasonally adjusted). Data as of November 2026.
Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.
Questions
- Which county ranks first: counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the west coast?
- San Francisco County has the most professional job openings per unemployed person in the West Coast: 58 per 100 unemployed people, against 6 per 100 across all ranked counties.
- How many counties are ranked?
- 35 counties have at least 100 openings, so the list has 35 entries.
- How is the ranking calculated?
- A county's score is the number of open professional roles in our data, per 100 people unemployed there (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted). Roles are placed in the county of the city their posting names; remote and statewide roles are left out. Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, and the unemployed include people in every kind of work, so the figure compares places with one another; it is not a count of the jobs an unemployed person could take. Only counties with at least 100 openings and 500 unemployed people are ranked.
- How often is it updated?
- Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.
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- Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the West Coast
- Cities with the most hybrid jobs in the West Coast
- Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the West Coast
- Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person
- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the West Coast,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-openings-per-unemployed-person-in-the-west-coast
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-openings-per-unemployed-person-in-the-west-coast">Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the West Coast (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
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