Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2009-04-29

Unemployment rates were higher in March than a year earlier in all 372 metropolitan areas, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Eighteen areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15.0 percent, while 15 areas registered rates below 5.0 percent. The national unemployment rate in March was 9.0 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 5.2 percent a year earlier. Among the 310 metropolitan areas for which nonfarm payroll data were available, 282 areas reported over-the-year de- clines in employment, 22 reported increases, and 6 had no change. In March, 109 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent, up from 14 areas a year earlier, while 95 areas posted rates below 7.0 percent, down from 329 areas in March 2008. El Centro, Calif., recorded the highest unemployment rate, 25.1 percent.