Real wage growth slowed statewide in 2025, but varied across regions
Annual change (%)
Source: PPIC calculations using US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Current Employment Statistics (CES) and Consumer Price Index (CPI), 2019-2025.
NOTES: Average real wages are for all private sector jobs. The percentage displayed for a given month and year is the percentage change relative to the same month in the previous year (i.e., the percentage shown for December 2025 is the percentage change in average real wages from December 2024 to December 2025). California regions displayed here include the four highest populated Core-Based Statistical Areas in the state: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont. Data is not seasonally adjusted. October 2025 data is missing due to a lapse in federal appropriations.
FROM: PPIC Blog, March 2026 