Metropolitan Area Employment: April 2005 — 2005-06-01

In April, 305 metropolitan areas reported over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment, 58 recorded decreases, and 4 had no change. The largest over-the-year employment increases were posted in Washington- Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.-W.Va. (+84,500), New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. (+82,300), Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz. (+63,300), Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev. (+59,300), Miami-Fort Lauderdale- Miami Beach, Fla. (+55,500), and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa-Ana, Calif. (+44,900). The largest over-the-year percentage increases in employment were reported in Yuma, Ariz. (+10.8 percent), St. George, Utah (+9.6 per- cent), Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev. (+7.4 percent), Coeur d'Alene, Idaho (+6.9 percent), Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, Va. (+6.4 percent), and Mount Vernon-Anacortes, Wash. (+5.8 percent). (See table 3.) The largest over-the-year employment declines were reported in Detroit- Warren-Livonia, Mich. (-21,600), Baton Rouge, La. (-2,400), San Jose- Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif. (-2,200), Dayton, Ohio (-2,100), Bloomington- Normal, Ill. (-1,800), and Lansing-East Lansing, Mich. (-1,500). The largest over-the-year percentage declines in employment were reported in Bay City, Mich.