Metropolitan Area Employment And Unemployment: December 2006 — 2007-01-30

Unemployment rates were lower in December than a year earlier in 238 of the 367 metropolitan areas, higher in 99 areas, and unchanged in 30 areas, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Forty-nine metropolitan areas registered jobless rates below 3.0 percent, while two areas recorded rates of at least 10.0 percent. The national unemployment rate in December was 4.3 percent, not seasonally adjusted, down from 4.6 percent a year earlier. In December, 167 metropolitan areas reported unemployment rates below 4.0 percent, up from 125 areas a year earlier, while 24 areas posted rates of at least 7.0 percent, unchanged from December 2005. Honolulu, Hawaii, and Logan, Utah-Idaho, had the lowest unemployment rates, 1.6 and 1.8 percent, respectively. El Centro, Calif., and Yuma, Ariz.--two adjacent, highly agricultural areas--registered the highest jobless rates, 14.5 and 11.2 percent, respectively. Overall, 202 areas recorded unemployment rates below the U.S.