Metropolitan Area Employment And Unemployment: July 2006 — 2006-08-30

Unemployment rates were lower in July than a year earlier in 214 of the 367 metropolitan areas, higher in 116 areas, and unchanged in 37 areas, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Nineteen metropolitan areas registered jobless rates below 3.0 percent, while four areas recorded rates of 10.0 percent or more. The national unemployment rate was 5.0 percent, not seasonally adjusted, down from 5.2 percent a year earlier. In July, 93 metropolitan areas reported unemployment rates below 4.0 per- cent, up from 71 areas a year earlier, while 38 areas posted rates of at least 7.0 percent, down slightly from 40 areas in July 2005. Fargo, N.D.- Minn., had the lowest unemployment rate, 2.1 percent. The areas recording the next lowest rates were Casper, Wyo., 2.4 percent, and Houma-Bayou Cane- Thibodaux, La., Lafayette, La., and Sioux Falls, S.D., 2.5 percent each.