BLS report: Feb. jobless rates down over the year in 274 of 388 metro areas; payroll jobs up in 323

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Feb. jobless rates down over the year in 274 of 388 metro areas; payroll jobs up in 323

Economic News Release USDL-17-0391

Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Technical information:
Employment: [phone] * [e-mail] * www.bls.gov/sae
Unemployment: [phone] * [e-mail] * www.bls.gov/lau

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METROPOLITAN AREA EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT -- FEBRUARY 2017


Unemployment rates were lower in February than a year earlier in 274 of the 388 metropolitan areas, higher in 88 areas, and unchanged in 26 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Ten areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent, and 11 areas had rates of at least 10.0 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 323 metropolitan areas, decreased in 64 areas, and was unchanged in 1 area. The national unemployment rate in February was 4.9 percent, not seasonally adjusted, down from 5.2 percent a year earlier.

Metropolitan Area Unemployment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In February, Ames, Iowa, had the lowest unemployment rate, 2.1 percent. El Centro, Calif., had the highest unemployment rate, 18.4 percent. A total of 190 areas had February jobless rates above the U.S. rate of 4.9 percent, 186 areas had rates below it, and 12 areas had rates equal to that of the nation. (See table 1.)

Beckley, W.Va., had the largest over-the-year unemployment rate decrease in February (-2.5 percentage points), closely followed by El Centro, Calif. (-2.4 points). Thirty-five other areas had rate declines of at least 1.0 percentage point. The largest over-the-year rate increase occurred in Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio (+1.7 percentage points).

Of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more, Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colo., and Salt Lake City, Utah, had the lowest unemployment rates in February, 3.2 percent each. Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio, had the highest jobless rate among the large areas, 7.5 percent. Thirty-three large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, 12 had increases, and 6 had no change. The largest rate decrease occurred in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Ill.-Ind.-Wis. (-1.2 percentage points). The largest over-the-year rate increase of these 51 metropolitan areas was in Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio (+1.7 percentage points).
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The State Employment and Unemployment news release for March is scheduled to be released on Friday, April 21, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for March is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 3, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).

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