Metropolitan Area Employment And Unemployment: March 2007 — 2007-05-02

Unemployment rates were lower in March than a year earlier in 252 of the 369 metropolitan areas, higher in 82 areas, and unchanged in 35 areas, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Twenty-eight metropolitan areas registered jobless rates below 3.0 percent, while five areas recorded rates of at least 10.0 percent. The national unemployment rate in March was 4.5 percent, not seasonally adjusted, down from 4.8 percent a year earlier. In March, 118 metropolitan areas reported unemployment rates below 4.0 percent, up from 103 areas a year earlier, while 27 areas posted rates of at least 7.0 percent, down from 34 areas in March 2006. Billings, Mont., and Logan, Utah-Idaho, had the lowest unemployment rates, 2.0 percent each.