Metropolitan Area Employment And Unemployment: March 2006 — 2006-05-03

Unemployment rates were lower in March than a year earlier in 307 of the 367 metropolitan areas, higher in 40 areas, and unchanged in 20 areas, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Twenty-three metropolitan areas registered jobless rates below 3.0 percent; nearly all of these (21 areas) were in the South. Eight areas, five of which were located in California, recorded rates of 10.0 percent or more. The national unemployment rate was 4.8 percent, not seasonally ad- justed, down from 5.4 percent a year earlier. In March, 102 metropolitan areas reported unemployment rates below 4.0 percent, up from 48 areas a year earlier, while 38 areas posted rates of at least 7.0 percent, down from 54 areas in March 2005. Two Florida areas--Cape Coral-Fort Myers and Naples-Marco Island--posted the lowest unemployment rates, 2.2 percent each.