Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2009-01-06

Unemployment rates were higher in November than a year earlier in 364 of the 369 metropolitan areas, lower in 4 areas, and unchanged in 1 area, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Twenty-three areas recorded jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent, while eight areas registered rates below 3.0 percent. The national unemployment rate in November was 6.5 percent, not season- ally adjusted, up from 4.5 percent a year earlier. In November, 121 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 7.0 percent, up from 18 areas a year earlier, while 34 areas posted rates below 4.0 percent, down from 133 areas in November 2007. El Centro, Calif., and neighboring Yuma, Ariz., continued to record the highest unemployment rates, 23.4 and 17.9 percent, respectively. Logan, Utah-Idaho, registered the lowest jobless rate, 2.4 percent. Overall, 140 areas posted unemployment rates above the U.S.