October 1999 — 1999-12-01

In October, 198 metropolitan areas reported unemployment rates below the U.S. average (3.8 percent, not seasonally adjusted), while 123 areas registered higher rates, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Thirty-seven metropolitan areas had rates below 2.0 percent, with 24 of these located in the Midwest, 8 in the South, and 5 in New England. Of the four areas with jobless rates over 10.0 percent, two were in California and two were along the Mexican border in other states. In October, 111 metropolitan areas reported unemployment rates below 3.0 percent, while 33 areas had rates of at least 6.0 percent. Columbia, Mo., recorded the lowest jobless rate (0.7 percent), followed by Fargo-Moorhead, N.D.-Minn., and Madison, Wis. (both 1.1 percent). Yuma, Ariz., registered the highest rate, 27.2 percent. The other areas with double-digit unemployment rates were Visalia-Tulare-Porterville, Calif. (13.7 percent), McAllen- Edinburg-Mission, Tex. (12.1 percent), and Fresno, Calif. (11.2 percent).