Tech Layoffs in Silicon Valley Already Nearing Full-Year 2025 Total by Mid-2026

NewsData.io · United States · Aug 11, 2026

Tech companies in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties cut 7,295 jobs in the first half of 2026 — just 9% below the total for all of 2025 — putting layoffs on pace to be the worst since 2023, according to Joint Venture Silicon Valley. Meta alone accounted for roughly 3,382 of those positions. Despite the surge in layoffs, Silicon Valley's unemployment rate held at 3.9% in June, as displaced tech workers appear to be absorbing into adjacent sectors like healthcare and startups. Analysts attribute the wave to pandemic-era overhiring and accelerating AI-driven workforce restructuring toward leaner teams.