Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2008-07-08

Unemployment rates were higher in May than a year earlier in 328 of the 369 metropolitan areas, lower in 30 areas, and unchanged in 11 areas, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Six areas reported jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent, while 16 areas registered rates below 3.0 percent. The national unemployment rate in May was 5.2 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 4.3 percent a year earlier. In May, 40 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 7.0 percent, up from 16 areas a year earlier, while 89 areas posted rates below 4.0 percent, down from 164 areas in May 2007. El Centro, Calif., continued to have the highest unemployment rate, 19.2 percent, followed by the adjacent area of Yuma, Ariz., at 17.6 percent. Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Logan, Utah-Idaho, registered the lowest jobless rates, 1.9 and 2.1 percent, respectively.