Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2009-12-02

Unemployment rates were higher in October than a year earlier in all 372 metropolitan areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Fifteen areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15.0 percent, while 13 areas registered rates below 5.0 percent. The national unem- ployment rate in October was 9.5 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 6.1 percent a year earlier. Among the 369 metropolitan areas for which nonfarm payroll employment were available, 361 areas reported over-the-year decreases in employment and 8 reported increases. In October, 124 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent, up from 13 areas a year earlier, while 75 areas posted rates below 7.0 percent, down from 280 areas in October 2008. El Centro, Calif., and neighboring Yuma, Ariz., continued to record the highest unemployment rates, 30.0 and 23.5 percent, respectively.