Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2009-02-04

Unemployment rates were higher in December than a year earlier in 363 of the 369 metropolitan areas, lower in 5 areas, and unchanged in 1 area, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Forty areas recorded jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent, while two areas registered rates below 3.0 percent. The national unemployment rate in December was 7.1 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 4.8 percent a year earlier. In December, 168 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 7.0 percent, up from 33 areas a year earlier, while 22 areas posted rates below 4.0 percent, down from 112 areas in December 2007. El Centro, Calif., continued to record the highest unemployment rate, 22.6 percent. The areas with the next highest rates were Merced, Calif., 15.5 percent; Yuma, Ariz., 15.4 percent; and Elkhart-Goshen, Ind., 15.3 percent.