Unemployment rates were lower in June than a year earlier in 359 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 10 areas, and unchanged in 3 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Ten areas had jobless rates of at least 10.0% and 74 areas had rates of less than 5.0%.
Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 307 metropolitan areas, decreased in 55 areas, and was unchanged in 10 areas. The national unemployment rate in June was 6.3%, not seasonally adjusted, down from 7.8% a year earlier.
Metropolitan Area Unemployment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
Yuma, Ariz., and El Centro, Calif., had the highest unemployment rates in June, 26.9% and 22.0%, respectively. Bismarck, N.D., had the lowest unemployment rate, 2.6%, followed by Midland, Texas, 2.9%. A total of 205 areas had June unemployment rates below the U.S. figure of 6.3 %, 157 areas had rates above it, and 10 areas had rates equal to that of the nation.
Longview, Wash., had the largest over-the-year unemployment rate decrease in June (-3.4% points). The next largest declines were in Decatur, Ill. (-3.3% points); Rocky Mount, N.C. (-3.2 points); and New Bedford, Mass. (-3.0 points). Eighty-eight other areas had rate decreases of at least 2.0% points. Florence-Muscle Shoals, Ala., had the largest over-the-year jobless rate increase (+0.9 percentage point).
Of the 49 metropolitan areas with a Census 2000 population of 1 million or more, Detroit-Warren-Livonia, Mich., had the highest unemployment rate in June, 9.2%. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, Texas, and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Minn.-Wis., had the lowest jobless rates among the large areas, 4.4% and 4.5%, respectively. Forty-eight of the large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, while one had an increase. The largest unemployment rate decline occurred in Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, Ill.-Ind.-Wis. (-2.8 percentage points). Birmingham-Hoover, Ala., had the only jobless rate increase (+0.1 percentage point).
Metropolitan Division Unemployment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
Eleven of the most populous metropolitan areas are made up of 34 metropolitan divisions, which are essentially separately identifiable employment centers. In June, Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, Mich., had the highest jobless rate among the divisions, 10.2 percent. San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, Calif., had the lowest division rate, 4.3 percent.
All 34 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year jobless rate decreases in June. The largest of these were in Lawrence-Methuen-Salem, Mass.-N.H. (-3.1 percentage points), and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, Ill. (-3.0 points). Seven other divisions had rate decreases of 2.0 percentage points or more.
Metropolitan Area Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
Three hundred seven metropolitan areas had over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment, 55 had decreases, and 10 had no change. The largest over-the-year employment increases occurred in New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. (+137,800), Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif. (+118,700), and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas (+112,100). The largest over-the-year percentage gain in employment occurred in Muncie, Ind. (+8.2%), followed by Lawrence, Kan. (+8.0%), and College Station-Bryan, Texas (+5.8 percent). (See table 3.)
The largest over-the-year decrease in employment occurred in Atlantic City-Hammonton, N.J. (-3,600), followed by Peoria, Ill. (-2,500), and Jackson, Miss.(-2,300). The largest over-the-year percentage decreases in employment occurred in Anniston-Oxford, Ala. (-34%), Atlantic City-Hammonton, N.J. (-2.6%), and Danville, Va., and Jackson, Mich. (-2.3% each).
Over the year, nonfarm employment rose in all of the 38 metropolitan areas with annual average employment levels above 750,000 in 2013. The largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment in these large metropolitan areas occurred in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Fla. (+3.7%), followed by Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, Texas, and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas (+3.6% each).
Metropolitan Division Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
Nonfarm payroll employment data were available in June 2014 for 32 metropolitan divisions, which are essentially separately identifiable employment centers within a metropolitan area. Thirty-one of the 32 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year employment gains and 1 had a loss. The largest over-the-year increase in employment among the metropolitan divisions occurred in New York-White Plains-Wayne, N.Y.-N.J. (+107,400), followed by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif. (+88,800), and Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas (+88,000). The only over-the-year decrease in employment occurred in Camden, N.J. (-1,500).
The largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment among the metropolitan divisions occurred in Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas (+4.0%), followed by Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, Fla. (+3.3%), and San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, Calif. (+3.2%). The only over-the-year percentage decreasein employment occurred in Camden, N.J. (-0.3%).