April 2002 — 2002-05-29

In April, 290 metropolitan areas had higher unemployment rates than a year earlier, 31 areas had lower rates, and 10 areas had rates that were unchanged, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Thirteen metropolitan areas posted jobless rates of 10.0 percent or more, eight of which were located in California's Central Valley. Twenty-one areas had unemployment rates below 3.0 percent, with eight in the South, seven in the Midwest, and four in the Northeast. The national unemployment rate in April was 5.7 percent, not seasonally adjusted. Fifty-six metropolitan areas recorded unemployment rates of at least 6.5 percent in April, up from 31 areas a year earlier, while 44 areas had rates below 3.5 percent, down from 122 areas in April 2001. Yuma, Ariz., posted the highest jobless rate, 17.0 percent, followed by six areas in California--Merced, 16.2 percent, Visalia-Tulare-Porterville, 15.7 percent, Fresno and Yuba City, 14.8 percent each, Bakersfield, 12.1 percent, and Modesto, 11.8 percent.