Metropolitan Area Employment And Unemployment: December 2005 — 2006-02-01

Unemployment rates were lower in December than a year earlier in 273 of the 367 metropolitan areas, higher in 80 areas, and unchanged in 14 areas, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Thirty-three metropolitan areas registered jobless rates below 3.0 percent; 24 of these were in the South. Four areas recorded rates of 10.0 percent or more. The national unemployment rate was 4.6 percent, not sea- sonally adjusted, down from 5.1 percent a year earlier. In December, 121 metropolitan areas reported unemployment rates below 4.0 percent, up from 69 areas a year earlier, while 25 areas posted rates of at least 7.0 percent, down from 40 areas in December 2004. Gainesville, Fla., had the lowest unemployment rate, 2.2 percent, followed closely by Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla., Fort Walton Beach-Crestview-Destin, Fla., and Winchester, Va.-W.Va., 2.3 percent each.