For decades, Richmond’s unemployment rate has hovered several percentage points above national, state and county average (See http://www.homefacts.com/unemployment/California/Contra-Costa-County/Richmond.html).

For the first time ever, Richmond has beat that trend. With a 5.1% unemployment rate in September 2015, Richmond is tied with the US average of 5.1% and is below the state average of 5.9%.

With the exception of December 1999, when Richmond’s rate was 4.9% and December of 2000 when it was 5.0%, the current unemployment rate is thought to be the lowest since WWII.