{"schema_version": 1, "id": "santa-rosa-petaluma-ca-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10", "product": "Metro Job Market Pulse", "metro": {"geography_id": 470, "label": "Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA MSA", "slug": "santa-rosa-petaluma-ca-msa"}, "focus_area": {"key": "general_conditions", "slug": "metro-job-market", "label": "General Market Conditions"}, "period": "2026-10", "public_after": "2026-10-01", "frozen_at": "2026-11-03T08:05:50.006400+00:00", "headline": "Sonoma County's tight labor market reflects scarcity.", "headline_summary": "Sonoma County's 4.3% unemployment rate beats the state's 5.1%, but a shrinking workforce and a 12.7% spring advertised-pay jump point to labor scarcity.", "key_indicators": [{"label": "Santa Rosa-Petaluma unemployment", "value": "4.3%", "context": "vs 5.1% California, 4.1% national (Sept. 2026)"}, {"label": "Advertised salary growth, Q2", "value": "+12.7%", "context": "$62,000 to $69,888, March-June 2026"}, {"label": "Local job postings growth", "value": "+27.5%", "context": "Q2 2026 vs Q1 2026, 14,148 total postings"}, {"label": "Manufacturing job losses (Amy's Kitchen)", "value": "207 jobs", "context": "Santa Rosa plant closure announced Oct. 1"}], "takeaways": [{"headline": "Low unemployment masks a shrinking labor pool.", "body": "Sonoma County's 4.3% unemployment rate looks healthy against the state's 5.1%, but the Economic Development Collaborative points to an aging workforce and declining availability of workers as a structural headwind. A tight rate here reflects fewer people competing for jobs as much as robust demand for labor."}, {"headline": "Amy's Kitchen closure tests the resilience of local manufacturing.", "body": "The phased shutdown affects about 207 Santa Rosa positions in a sector already recording job losses in manufacturing, retail trade, and wholesale trade. Whether displaced workers re-enter the local labor pool or exit the workforce entirely will shape whether the county's participation problem deepens."}, {"headline": "Healthcare labor tension surfaces alongside sector strength.", "body": "Nearly 800 registered nurses struck at Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital in late October even as healthcare remains the county's most consistent source of job growth and registered nurse pay rose to a metro median of $132,444. Strength in demand does not guarantee smooth labor relations within the sector carrying the local economy."}, {"headline": "Advertised pay gains may reflect scarcity more than growth.", "body": "A 12.7% jump in advertised salaries between March and June, paired with a 27.5% rise in job ads (a signal of hiring demand, since one ad often covers several openings), points to employers bidding up pay for a limited local labor supply. Commerce leaders should read wage momentum here as a scarcity signal."}], "local_conditions": "Sonoma County's unemployment rate held at 4.3% in September, tighter than both the state's 5.1% and a national rate of 4.1%, even as the county's available workforce continues to shrink under the weight of retirements and an aging labor pool. Advertised salaries rose sharply in the second quarter (up 12.7% from March to June) while job ads climbed 27.5% quarter-over-quarter \u2014 ad volume that signals hiring demand and often covers several openings per ad \u2014 a combination that points to employers competing for a smaller pool of workers.", "implications": "Amy's Kitchen's phased closure of its Santa Rosa plant, affecting roughly 207 local jobs, and a two-day nurses' strike at Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital both signal friction points in sectors that have historically anchored the local economy \u2014 manufacturing and healthcare, respectively. For commerce leaders assessing the local business climate, a 4.3% unemployment rate alongside a shrinking labor force suggests expansion plans may face workforce availability constraints even when demand conditions look favorable; government economists should note that labor force participation is becoming the binding constraint on regional output. Current conditions suggest monitoring whether the Amy's Kitchen closure releases manufacturing-adjacent workers into other parts of the local labor pool, and whether that cushions or compounds the county's broader workforce shortage.\n\n", "looking_ahead": [{"category": "Worth watching", "body": "Whether the roughly 207 workers displaced by the Amy's Kitchen Santa Rosa closure find re-employment locally or leave the labor force will be an early test of the county's capacity to absorb sector-specific shocks."}, {"category": "Emerging pressure point", "body": "Contract negotiations following the Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital nurses' strike bear watching, given healthcare's outsized role in the county's job growth and its reliance on a tightening regional labor supply."}, {"category": "Early indicator", "body": "Tourism and hospitality revenue per room grew just 2% in August, trailing the Bay Area's 13.3% pace; a continued gap would signal Sonoma County's visitor economy is losing ground relative to neighboring markets heading into the winter season."}, {"category": "Potential inflection point", "body": "Federal immigration policy remains cited locally as a headwind on labor supply; any shift in enforcement activity or visa processing could materially affect availability in agriculture-adjacent and hospitality-adjacent segments of the county's workforce."}], "roles": [{"role": "Retail Sales Associate", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 36452.0, "metro_p50": 41600.0, "metro_p75": 43545.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 33340.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Retail Cashier", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 35875.75, "metro_p50": 38917.0, "metro_p75": 41600.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 31268.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Warehouse/Fulfillment Associate", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 38324.5, "metro_p50": 44585.0, "metro_p75": 46800.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 38480.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "CDL Truck Driver", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 62400.0, "metro_p50": 77964.0, "metro_p75": 91000.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 78872.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Delivery Driver", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 35063.0, "metro_p50": 44720.0, "metro_p75": 47866.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 34826.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Construction Laborer", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 40922.0, "metro_p50": 52000.0, "metro_p75": 52910.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 40726.6, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Electrician", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 68089.0, "metro_p50": 83000.0, "metro_p75": 88400.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 71835.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Manufacturing Production Worker/Assembler", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 39563.0, "metro_p50": 47840.0, "metro_p75": 52000.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 39520.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Customer Service Representative", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 41415.0, "metro_p50": 46748.0, "metro_p75": 52000.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 39520.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Food Service Worker", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 36559.5, "metro_p50": 41673.0, "metro_p75": 45510.5, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 33764.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Certified Nursing Assistant / Home Health Aide", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 45105.0, "metro_p50": 50424.0, "metro_p75": 56882.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 41600.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Administrative Assistant/Office Clerk", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 45760.0, "metro_p50": 55120.0, "metro_p75": 61360.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 44552.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "HVAC Technician", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 44413.0, "metro_p50": 52000.0, "metro_p75": 81120.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 71406.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Registered Nurse", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 107727.5, "metro_p50": 132444.0, "metro_p75": 145886.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 102252.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"role": "Software Engineer", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 100000.0, "metro_p50": 133955.0, "metro_p75": 157201.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 154403.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Data Engineer", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 106585.0, "metro_p50": 145000.0, "metro_p75": 162500.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 138000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Accountant", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 67600.0, "metro_p50": 81768.8, "metro_p75": 90000.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 72000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Financial Analyst", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 91345.75, "metro_p50": 103333.0, "metro_p75": 115197.25, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 94646.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "HR Generalist/Manager", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 78765.0, "metro_p50": 82920.0, "metro_p75": 88901.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 74477.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"role": "Marketing Specialist", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 69873.0, "metro_p50": 86320.0, "metro_p75": 91520.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 62916.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Operations Manager", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 81730.0, "metro_p50": 109470.8, "metro_p75": 129375.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 86294.2, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Elementary/Secondary School Teacher", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 44720.0, "metro_p50": 62400.0, "metro_p75": 75817.75, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 55908.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Account Manager", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 76197.0, "metro_p50": 97000.0, "metro_p75": 100000.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 94009.4, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Warehouse Manager", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 74500.0, "metro_p50": 94853.0, "metro_p75": 102750.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 75000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Business Analyst", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 84847.75, "metro_p50": 101462.8, "metro_p75": 115397.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 98302.2, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}], "industry_snapshot": [{"sector": "Construction", "median_pay": 70720.0, "pay_trend_direction": "down", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Manufacturing", "median_pay": 93600.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Retail Trade", "median_pay": 43098.0, "pay_trend_direction": "stable", "pay_trend_magnitude": "stable", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities", "median_pay": 55765.0, "pay_trend_direction": "down", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Information", "median_pay": 70983.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "down", "postings_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"sector": "Financial Activities", "median_pay": 59998.0, "pay_trend_direction": "stable", "pay_trend_magnitude": "stable", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Professional & Business Services", "median_pay": 91935.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Education & Health Services", "median_pay": 84500.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Leisure & Hospitality", "median_pay": 42120.0, "pay_trend_direction": "stable", "pay_trend_magnitude": "stable", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Government", "median_pay": 75141.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}], "citations": [], "methodology": "Advertised pay from active employer job postings, not survey data. WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings: distribution analysis shows roughly the lowest 10% of raw values are erroneous entries, so the reported median is the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay.", "edition_label": "November 2026", "files": {"html": "santa-rosa-petaluma-ca-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.html", "pdf": "santa-rosa-petaluma-ca-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.pdf", "sources_html": "santa-rosa-petaluma-ca-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.sources.html"}, "published_at": "2026-11-03T08:29:55.433629+00:00", "report_html_url": "https://reports.wagescape.com/archive/v1/editions/santa-rosa-petaluma-ca-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.html", "report_pdf_url": "https://reports.wagescape.com/archive/v1/editions/santa-rosa-petaluma-ca-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.pdf"}