Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2009-09-30

Unemployment rates were higher in August than a year earlier in all 372 metro- politan areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Sixteen areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15.0 percent, while 9 areas registered rates below 5.0 percent. The national unemployment rate in August was 9.6 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 6.1 percent a year earlier. Among the 369 metropol- itan areas for which nonfarm payroll employment data were available, 356 areas reported over-the-year decreases in payroll employment, 11 reported increases, and 2 had no change. In August, 129 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent, up from 11 areas a year earlier, while 69 areas posted rates below 7.0 percent, down from 282 areas in August 2008. El Centro, Calif., recorded the highest un- employment rate, 28.7 percent, followed by Yuma, Ariz., 26.1 percent. These two adjacent areas are highly agricultural and experience extreme heat during summer months.