Metropolitan Area Employment And Unemployment: July 2004 — 2004-09-01

In July, 291 of the 331 metropolitan areas recorded lower unemployment rates than a year earlier, 26 areas had higher rates, and 14 areas had rates that were unchanged, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Nineteen metropolitan areas registered unemployment rates below 3.0 percent, with seven of these located in the Midwest and another seven in the South. Thirteen areas posted jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent; seven of these were in California and two were along the Mexican border in other states. The national unemployment rate in July was 5.7 percent, not seasonally adjusted. Eighty-four metropolitan areas posted jobless rates below 4.0 percent in July, up from 42 areas a year earlier, while 52 areas registered unem- ployment rates of at least 7.0 percent, down from 90 areas in July 2003.