Metropolitan Area Employment And Unemployment: January 2005 — 2005-03-17

Unemployment rates were lower in January than a year earlier in 275 of the 367 metropolitan areas, higher in 86 areas, and unchanged in 6 areas, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Two areas registered jobless rates below 3.0 percent, while 10 areas--8 of which were located in California--recorded unemployment rates of at least 10.0 percent. The national unemployment rate was 5.7 percent, not seasonally adjusted. (The information contained in this release reflects the introduction of newly defined metropolitan areas as well as changes in the methodology for the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program. See the Box Note on page 4 for more information.) In January, 32 metropolitan areas reported unemployment rates below 4.0 percent, up from 18 areas a year earlier, while 79 areas had rates of at least 7.0 percent, down from 92 areas in January 2004.