Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2009-06-30

Unemployment rates were higher in May than a year earlier in all 372 metropolitan areas, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Fifteen areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15.0 percent, while 21 areas registered rates below 5.0 percent. The national unemployment rate in May was 9.1 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 5.2 percent a year earlier. Among the 310 metropolitan areas for which nonfarm payroll employment were available, 295 areas recorded over-the-year declines in employment and 15 reported increases. In May, 112 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent, up from 6 areas a year earlier, while 97 areas posted rates below 7.0 percent, down from 333 areas in May 2008. El Centro, Calif., recorded the highest unemployment rate, 26.8 percent, fol- lowed by Yuma, Ariz., at 23.3 percent.