Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2009-10-28

Unemployment rates were higher in September than a year earlier in 371 of the 372 metropolitan areas and lower in 1 area, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Thirteen areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15.0 percent, while 12 areas registered rates below 5.0 percent. The national unemployment rate in September was 9.5 percent, not seasonally ad- justed, up from 6.0 percent a year earlier. Among the 369 metropolitan areas for which nonfarm payroll employment data were available, 359 areas reported over-the-year decreases in employment, and 10 reported increases. In September, 117 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent, up from 10 areas a year earlier, while 70 areas posted rates below 7.0 percent, down from 291 areas in September 2008. El Centro, Calif., and Yuma, Ariz., recorded the highest unemployment rates, 30.1 and 24.2 percent, respectively. These two adjacent areas are highly agricultural and experience extreme heat during summer months.