Metropolitan Area Employment And Unemployment: April 2007 — 2007-05-30

Unemployment rates were lower in April than a year earlier in 226 of the 369 metropolitan areas, higher in 120 areas, and unchanged in 23 areas, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Forty-six metropolitan areas registered jobless rates below 3.0 percent, while four areas recorded rates of at least 10.0 percent. The national un- employment rate in April was 4.3 percent, not seasonally adjusted, down from 4.5 percent a year earlier. In April, 157 metropolitan areas reported unemployment rates below 4.0 per- cent, up from 131 areas a year earlier, while 18 areas posted rates of at least 7.0 percent, down from 25 areas in April 2006. Billings, Mont., and Logan, Utah-Idaho, had the lowest unemployment rates, 1.7 and 1.9 percent, respectively.