Labor Force

Highly Productive Young Professionals

Lower housing costs and Solano’s urban-country-waterfront mix attract a diverse, growing population of young professionals who call Solano County home. Many of these residents currently commute to Bay Area jobs, making them an ideal match for businesses seeking to scale outside the more expensive economic centers around San Francisco and Silicon Valley. 

Laborshed

2.8 million workers in a 50-mile radius. As the Bay Area’s northeast county, Solano has the potential to draw from a huge labor pool. Inbound commuters can take Amtrak’s Capitol Corridor train which makes multiple runs from the Bay Area and Sacramento.

Within the county, there are 107,000 outbound commuters who could work closer to home. 

  • Out-commuters work in construction, manufacturing, healthcare and government.
  • 16.2% of out-commuters have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Labor Force and Unemployment  
  Total Labor Force Employment Unemployment Unemployment Rate
May 2022 199,200 192,200 7,000 3.50%
Annual Avg. 2021 199,400 184,500 14,900 7.50%
Annual Avg. 2020 201,500 181,700 19,800 9.80%
Annual Avg. 2015 204,900 192,200 12,600 6.20%
Annual Avg. 2010 202,500 176,500 26,000 12.80%
Employment Rate
Source: California Employment Development Department (EDD)
Unemployment Rates and Labor Force: Vallejo-Fairfield MSA Labor Force Data

Commute Patterns

Commute Patterns Inflow Outflow
2019 70,946 133,904
2018 83,994 131,746
2017 80,674 129,522
2016 79,308 125,231
2015 77,574 119,852
Inflow refers to the number of employees who lives outside the county but works within the county.
Outflow refers to the number of employees who lives within the county but works outside the county.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
OnTheMap: Inflow/Outflow Analysis, 2015-2019
 
Counties Inflow Outflow
Alameda County 5,388 17,854
Contra Costa County 11,823 26,003
Napa County 5,445 13,522
Sacramento County 10,111 13,068
San Francisco County 1,792 12,788
San Joaquin County 3,694 3,915
Sonoma County 3,515 5,755
Yolo County 5,360 5,032
All Other Counties 23,818 35,967
Inflow and Outflow (per Counties) – 2019
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
OnTheMap: Destination Analysis, 2019
 
       
Total County Population 194,057      
Total State Population 16,710,195      
Total Country Population 142,512,559      
         
    % Distribution of Population  
Duration of Commute Solano County Solano County California United States
Less than 5 minutes 4,182 2.16% 1.81% 2.82%
5 to 9 miuntes 17,119 8.82% 7.36% 9.48%
10 to 14 minutes 26,558 13.69% 12.12% 13.22%
15 to 19 minutes 26,692 13.75% 14.65% 15.17%
20 to 29 minutes 28,163 14.51% 20.15% 20.87%
30 to 44 minutes 35,494 18.29% 21.87% 20.86%
45 to 59 minutes 19,310 9.95% 9.03% 8.33%
60 minutes and above 36,539 18.83% 12.67% 9.25%
Travel Time
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles
B08303: Travel Time to Work 
Population of 16 years old and above who did not work at home

Labor Costs

Lower average wages. Housing costs in Solano County are half that of the metro region, and the lower cost of living is reflected in lower average wage rates for many occupations. Your business may be able to reduce hiring or training costs through programs described in the Business & Industry Groups

Occupation SOC Code Mean Hourly Wage Median Hourly Wage Mean Annual Wage
Management Occupations        
General and Operations Managers 11-1021 $59.12 $50.76 $122,968
Marketing Managers 11-2021 $72.49 $66.26 $150,763
Sales Managers 11-2022 $58.20 $51.01 $121,063
Administrative Services Managers 11-3012 $61.37 $51.05 $127,654
Computer and Information System Managers 11-3021 $76.70 $74.98 $159,526
Industrial Production Managers 11-3051 $60.47 $60.33 $125,780
All Other Manager Occupations 11-9199 $65.09 $62.27 $135,398
Business and Financial Operations Occupations      
Accountants and Auditors 13-2011 $44.22 $39.82 $91,971
Purchasing Agents, Buyers 13-1020 $35.72 $32.15 $74,310
Human Resources Specialists 13-1071 $38.58 $37.93 $80,242
Management Analysts 13-1111 $47.72 $42.94 $99,262
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists 13-1161 $36.31 $34.30 $75,525
All Other Business and Financial Operation  13-2099 $38.92 $37.66 $80,952
Computer and Mathematical Occupations      
Computer Systems Analysts 15-1211 $50.69 $49.33 $105,443
Software Developers, Applications 15-1252 $56.64 $57.50 $117,803
Computer Programmers 15-1251 $43.69 $44.71 $90,867
Database Administrators 15-1242 $52.93 $52.68 $110,084
Network and Computer Systems Administrators 15-1244 $49.41 $50.62 $102,770
All Other Computer and Mathematical Occupation 15-1299 $45.59 $40.58 $94,835
Engineering Occupations        
Industrial Engineers 17-2112 $52.89 $47.47 $110,002
Mechanical Engineers 17-2141 $47.88 $46.44 $99,600
Mechanical Drafters 17-3013 $33.77 $29.99 $70,240
Civil Engineering Technicians 17-3022 $41.46 $40.54 $86,246
All Other Engineering (except Drafters) Occupations 17-3029 $39.03 $41.22 $81,180
Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations      
Food Scientists and Technologists 19-1012 $48.95 $48.83 $101,807
Soil and Plant Scientists 19-1013 $54.34 $52.72 $113,016
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, including Health 19-2041 $38.82 $33.67 $80,735
Agricultural and Food Science Technicians 19-4013 $27.51 $25.51 $57,207
Biological Scientists 19-1029 $50.71 $48.64 $105,474
All Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations 19-4099 $26.51 $23.24 $55,135
Office and Administrative Support Occupations      
First-Line Supervisors 43-1011 $33.66 $31.36 $70,020
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 43-3031 $25.52 $24.41 $53,096
Customer Service Representatives 43-4051 $21.16 $19.23 $44,019
Production, Planning, and Expiditing Clerks 43-5061 $28.58 $25.79 $59,455
Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks 43-5071 $21.45 $19.67 $44,623
All Other Office and Administrative Support Occupations 43-9199 $24.23 $22.66 $50,410
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations      
Agricultural Inspectors 45-2011 $29.00 $30.41 $60,331
Agricultural Equipment Operators 45-2091 $18.84 $18.61 $39,189
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse 45-2092 $16.39 $15.57 $34,081
Production Occupations        
First-Line Supervisors of Production of Operating Workers 51-1011 $41.14 $38.27 $85,548
Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters 51-2041 $24.69 $23.53 $51,352
Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal, and Plastic 51-9161 $27.53 $24.85 $57,251
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic 51-4031 $21.64 $19.19 $44,995
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic 51-4033 $23.48 $19.60 $48,845
Machinists 51-4041 $25.15 $22.07 $52,299
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers 51-4121 $29.91 $25.82 $62,203
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders 51-9124 $25.34 $24.01 $52,704
All Other Production Operations Occupations 51-9199 $20.43 $19.19 $42,509
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations        
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material-Moving Machinery 53-1047 $30.85 $27.89 $64,162
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 53-7062 $19.35 $18.36 $40,247
All Other Transportation and Material Moving Occupations 53-7199 $20.01 $16.90 $41,613
Wages by Selected Occupations
Source: Employment Development Department, State of California
OEWS Employment and Wage Statistics, Solano County, 1st Quarter 2022

Wage Comparison by Occupation

  Solano County   Alameda County   Napa County   Sacramento County San Francisco County
Wage Percentiles 25% 75% 25% 75% 25% 75% 25% 75% 25% 75%
Management Occupations                    
General and Operations Managers $35.59 $74.91 $39.84 $94.33 $38.33 $74.78 $37.59 $77.08 $47.75 $100.00
Marketing Managers $48.94 $86.79 $65.92 $49.45 $94.99 $88.40 $76.40
Sales Managers $34.25 $70.47 $47.30 $100.00 $41.90 $94.21 $38.41 $80.88 $61.07
Administrative Services Managers $36.95 $74.48 $44.28 $82.91 $36.06 $63.21 $31.91 $63.21 $44.14 $83.16
Computer and Information System Managers $59.42 $87.18 $75.76 $63.49 $96.79 $65.17 $88.96 $80.83
Industrial Production Managers $40.76 $74.46 $49.57 $83.82 $53.95 $86.00 $39.94 $71.77 $59.64 $100.00
All Other Manager Occupations $39.96 $83.42 $59.56 $49.63 $94.21 $49.06 $83.71 $63.87
Business and Financial Operations Occupations                  
Accountants and Auditors $32.04 $50.80 $38.01 $61.35 $36.81 $50.75 $31.68 $50.91 $38.36 $62.58
Purchasing Agents, Buyers $27.03 $41.16 $30.65 $48.76 $25.64 $41.24 $25.50 $41.81 $31.06 $50.59
Human Resources Specialists $29.76 $46.79 $31.06 $50.59 $29.81 $50.19 $26.36 $44.11 $36.08 $62.24
Management Analysts $35.41 $53.03 $40.13 $72.04 $36.32 $50.86 $31.68 $40.15 $45.47 $79.63
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $25.25 $41.45 $34.44 $62.29 $30.18 $47.64 $23.47 $44.10 $36.73 $69.53
All Other Business and Financial Operation  $25.65 $46.85 $31.74 $51.50 $20.66 $48.15 $25.63 $42.85 $31.25 $72.09
Computer and Mathematical Occupations                  
Computer Systems Analysts $38.60 $62.38 $48.84 $78.42 $47.44 $68.62 $39.99 $63.59 $49.28 $81.65
Software Developers, Applications $41.60 $67.60 $58.26 $83.35 $51.31 $85.91 $50.65 $82.46 $64.20 $97.16
Computer Programmers $32.46 $52.56 $49.62 $75.91 $37.65 $60.65 $30.84 $66.32 $49.62 $75.93
Database Administrators $40.06 $63.14 $40.09 $67.40 $30.33 $58.88 $31.72 $64.41 $44.97 $75.68
Network and Computer Systems Administrators $39.36 $54.40 $46.62 $65.38 $39.12 $59.92 $37.60 $59.17 $46.07 $65.38
All Other Computer/Mathematical Occupation $30.38 $57.64 $38.88 $79.52 $31.42 $59.85 $30.80 $63.71 $46.67 $82.55
Engineering Occupations                    
Industrial Engineers $39.42 $63.92 $46.71 $62.47 $39.10 $60.12 $38.73 $61.26 $47.50 $75.84
Mechanical Engineers $36.79 $56.44 $47.76 $77.44 $41.94 $54.10 $38.73 $63.27 $49.62 $81.18
Mechanical Drafters $24.85 $37.75 $28.01 $46.71 $32.88 $47.98 $24.76 $39.53 $31.10 $46.50
Civil Engineering Technicians $38.00 $47.05 $36.86 $49.53 $39.64 $63.26 $29.89 $40.42 $36.10 $49.53
All Other Engineering (except Drafters) Occupations $29.17 $50.39 $24.31 $36.77 $38.73 $49.92 $21.17 $40.01 $24.31 $34.92
Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations                    
Food Scientists and Technologists $38.36 $62.24 $36.94 $59.40 $29.63 $37.30 $30.90 $52.20 $39.67 $64.74
Soil and Plant Scientists $31.99 $57.26 $35.89 $64.49 $32.64 $50.14 $30.93 $55.34 $35.89 $47.04
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, including Health $29.07 $47.13 $37.61 $64.74 $37.16 $50.45 $40.89 $62.53 $41.05 $66.66
Food Science Technicians $20.20 $36.45 $22.39 $30.39 $22.35 $24.45 $19.34 $29.32 $24.09 $36.57
Biological Scientists/Technicians $37.36 $59.13 $38.88 $64.01 $30.04 $30.04 $32.65 $50.76 $38.62 $64.02
All Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations $19.09 $29.87 $23.63 $37.35 $19.20 $29.80 $26.93 $45.80
Office and Administrative Support Occupations                    
First-Line Supervisors $25.43 $39.18 $30.32 $46.39 $26.96 $40.15 $25.17 $39.93 $30.32 $47.86
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $19.68 $30.31 $23.21 $34.35 $22.17 $30.92 $19.11 $30.19 $23.42 $35.22
Customer Service Representatives $16.71 $23.88 $19.04 $28.65 $18.56 $24.05 $15.34 $23.90 $21.15 $29.58
Production, Planning, and Expiditing Clerks $21.27 $32.54 $23.91 $37.84 $23.78 $34.06 $19.77 $31.34 $26.96 $37.12
Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks $18.19 $24.13 $18.40 $24.44 $19.15 $24.30 $16.03 $23.37 $18.40 $27.46
All Other Office and Administrative Support Occupations $16.71 $29.95 $20.58 $37.48 $15.00 $26.01 $15.17 $29.34 $18.69 $36.27
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations                    
Agricultural Inspectors $23.96 $30.83 $28.52 $40.84 $23.68 $31.76 $15.20 $24.37 $29.46 $35.44
Agricultural Equipment Operators $16.27 $19.16 $27.59 $39.87 $19.12 $23.22 $16.03 $18.97
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse $15.26 $18.59 $17.77 $22.61 $17.57 $19.49 $15.29 $15.50 $17.80 $23.45
Production Occupations                    
First-Line Supervisors of Production of Operating Workers $29.32 $52.27 $30.22 $49.26 $30.59 $41.98 $24.89 $41.00 $29.56 $51.07
Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters $15.57 $32.02 $19.20 $29.55     $18.46 $25.41
Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal, and Plastic $19.62 $31.72 $22.39 $30.63 $19.56 $30.61 $18.97 $25.81 $21.83 $29.62
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic $17.65 $24.47 $18.76 $27.56 $18.55 $23.99 $18.39 $27.83
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic $17.44 $24.85 $18.39 $23.67 $16.96 $23.73 $15.40 $19.52 $18.98 $25.73
Machinists $15.25 $31.05 $23.63 $35.71     $18.83 $29.90 $22.13 $45.44
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers $23.81 $33.27 $23.58 $35.82 $21.36 $30.57 $20.61 $29.03 $23.09 $35.32
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders $19.69 $28.77 $18.83 $34.03 $22.77 $30.07 $18.80 $27.86 $18.83 $30.18
All Other Production Operations Occupations $16.99 $20.98 $18.39 $24.17 $17.48 $23.12 $15.06 $19.42 $18.07 $27.08
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations                    
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material-Moving Machinery $23.95 $37.76 $25.32 $40.12 $24.99 $38.82 $24.10 $38.87 $25.19 $39.66
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $15.93 $20.11 $18.71 $24.08 $17.63 $22.80 $15.41 $20.02 $18.31 $24.09
All Other Transportation and Material Moving Occupations $15.64 $19.97 $17.41 $19.61 $15.95 $18.47 $15.19 $16.97 $17.55 $22.85
Wage Comparison
Source: Employment Development Department, State of California
OEWS Employment and Wage Statistics, 1st Quarter 2022

State Labor Laws

Here is a brief summary of state employment requirements that may affect your payroll costs. Please consult with the agencies listed for the most up-to-date details. Additional information about personal taxes, business taxes and licensing can be found under Government.

Employment Taxes & Mandated Benefits
Disability Insurance 1.1% (employee wage deduction)
Based on $145,600 taxable wages, 
limit is $1,601.60/employee per calendar year
California Employment
Development Department
Employment Training Tax 0.1% (employee wage deduction)
The taxable wage limit us $7,000/ 
employee per calendar year
California Employment
Development Department
Unemployment Insurance

1.5%-6.2% on 1st $7,000/ employee per 
calendar year, based on an employer’s 
experience rating and the balance in 
the UI Fund.


3.4% for new employers for 2-3 years

California Employment 
Development Department
Workers' Compensation Based on payroll and occupations California Department of 
Industrial Relations
Family Leave Employees covered by Disability 
Insurance (see above) are eligible for
up to eight (8) weeks of paid family leave
to care for a seriously ill child, spouse,
parent or domestic partner, or to bond with 
a new minor child. Disability Insurance 
is paid by employee.
California Employment
Development Department
Source: California Employment Development Department (www.edd.ca.gov/), California Department of Industrial Relations (www.dir.ca.gov/default.html), July 2022