Press Release - METROPOLITAN AREA EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT — OCTOBER 2016
Unemployment rates were lower in October than a year earlier in 231 of the 387 metropolitan areas, higher in 127 areas, and unchanged in 29 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
Thirty areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent and three areas had rates of at least 10.0 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 311 metropolitan areas, decreased in 68 areas, and was unchanged in 8 areas. The national unemployment rate in October was 4.7 percent, not seasonally adjusted, and was little different from that of October 2015.
Metropolitan Area Unemployment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
In October, the lowest unemployment rate was in Fargo, N.D.-Minn., 1.8 percent. El Centro, Calif., and Yuma, Ariz., had the highest unemployment rates, 22.0 percent and 19.4 percent, respectively. A total of 198 areas had October jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 4.7 percent, 173 areas had rates above it, and 16 areas had rates equal to that of the nation. (See table 1 and map 1.)
Yuma, Ariz., had the largest over-the-year unemployment rate decrease in October (-2.9 percentage points). Twenty-three other areas had rate declines of at least 1.0 percentage point. The largest over-theyear rate increase occurred in Erie, Pa. (+1.8 percentage points).
Of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more, Boston-CambridgeNashua, Mass.-N.H., had the lowest unemployment rate in October, 2.6 percent. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif., had the highest rate among the large areas, 6.1 percent. Thirty-five large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, 14 had increases, and 2 had no change. The largest rate decrease occurred in Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, Mass.-N.H. (-1.5 percentage points). The largest over-the-year rate increase was in Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio (+1.2 percentage points).
Metropolitan Division Unemployment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
Eleven of the most populous metropolitan areas are made up of 38 metropolitan divisions, which are essentially separately identifiable employment centers. In October, Framingham, Mass., had the lowest unemployment rate among the divisions, 2.3 percent. Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, Mich., had the highest division rate, 6.6 percent. (See table 2.)
In October, 29 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, 7 had increases, and 2 had no change. The largest rate decline occurred in Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, Mass.-N.H. (-2.2 percentage points). The largest over-the-year rate increases occurred in Montgomery CountyBucks County-Chester County, Pa., and Philadelphia, Pa. (+0.8 percentage point each).
page source http://www.bls.gov/
