March 2001 — 2001-05-02

In March, 224 metropolitan areas recorded unemployment rates below the U.S. average (4.6 percent, not seasonally adjusted), while 101 areas registered higher rates, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Nine metropolitan areas had rates below 2.0 percent, two each in Connecticut and Virginia. Among the 10 areas with jobless rates over 10.0 percent, 7 were in California, and 2 were along the Mexican border in other states. Thirty-four metropolitan areas recorded unemployment rates below 2.5 percent in March, while 59 areas had rates of at least 5.5 percent. The four areas with the lowest jobless rates were Bryan-College Station, Texas, Charlottesville, Va., Columbia, Mo., and Stamford-Norwalk, Conn. (all 1.4 percent). Three areas in central California registered the highest rates: Visalia-Tulare-Porterville (18.5 percent), Merced (17.1 percent), and Fresno (16.2 percent).