Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2008-08-27

Unemployment rates were higher in July than a year earlier in 338 of the 369 metropolitan areas, lower in 25 areas, and unchanged in 6 areas, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Eleven areas recorded jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent, while nine areas registered rates below 3.0 percent. The na- tional unemployment rate in July was 6.0 percent, not seasonally ad- justed, up from 4.9 percent a year earlier. In July, 90 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 7.0 percent, up from 29 areas a year earlier, while 40 areas posted rates below 4.0 percent, down from 91 areas in July 2007. El Centro, Calif., and neighboring Yuma, Ariz., continued to record the highest unemployment rates, 23.3 and 20.0 percent, respectively. Sioux Falls, S.D., again registered the lowest jobless rate, 2.4 percent.