Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2009-04-01

Unemployment rates were higher in February than a year earlier in all 372 metropolitan areas, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Fourteen areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15.0 percent, while 20 areas registered rates below 5.0 percent. The national unemployment rate in February was 8.9 per- cent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 5.2 percent a year earlier. Among the 310 metropolitan areas for which nonfarm payroll data were available, 270 areas recorded over-the-year employment decreases, 37 reported gains, and 3 had no change. In February, 104 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent, up from 12 areas a year earlier, while 92 areas posted rates below 7.0 percent, down from 332 areas in February 2008. El Centro, Calif., recorded the highest unemployment rate, 24.5 per- cent.