Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2012-02-01

Unemployment rates were lower in December than a year earlier in 329 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 36 areas, and unchanged in 7 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Ten areas recorded jobless rates higher than 15.0 percent, while 24 areas registered rates of less than 5.0 percent. Two hundred thirty-nine metropolitan areas reported over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment, 127 reported decreases, and 6 had no change. The national unemployment rate in December was 8.3 percent, not seasonally adjusted, down from 9.1 percent a year earlier. In December, 66 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent, down from 110 areas a year earlier, while 125 areas posted rates below 7.0 percent, up from 71 areas in December 2010. El Centro, Calif., and Yuma, Ariz., recorded the highest unemployment rates in December 2011, 26.8 and 23.1 percent, respectively.