Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2011-02-02

Unemployment rates were lower in December than a year earlier in 238 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 115 areas, and unchanged in 19 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Fourteen areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15.0 percent, while 14 areas registered rates of less than 5.0 percent. Two hundred metropolitan areas reported over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment, 156 reported decreases, and 16 had no change. The national unemployment rate in December was 9.1 percent, not seasonally adjusted, down from 9.7 percent a year earlier. In December 109 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent, down from 140 areas a year earlier, while 73 areas posted rates below 7.0 percent, up slightly from 66 areas in December 2009. El Centro, Calif., again recorded the highest unemployment rate, 28.3 percent, followed by Yuma, Ariz., 23.2 percent.