Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2009-09-01

Unemployment rates were higher in July than a year earlier in all 372 metropolitan areas, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Nineteen areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15.0 percent, while 11 areas registered rates below 5.0 percent. The national unemployment rate in July was 9.7 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 6.0 percent a year earlier. Among the 369 metropolitan areas for which nonfarm payroll data were avail- able, 353 areas reported over-the-year decreases in nonfarm payroll employment, 14 reported increases, and 2 had no change. In July, 139 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent, up from 14 areas a year earlier, while 65 areas posted rates below 7.0 percent, down from 286 areas in July 2008. El Centro, Calif., recorded the highest unemployment rate, 30.2 percent, followed by Yuma, Ariz., 26.2 percent.