Jan. jobless rates down over the year in 333 of 387 metro areas; payroll jobs up in 325

Jan. jobless rates down over the year in 333 of 387 metro areas; payroll jobs up in 325

Economic News Release USDL-16-0520

Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Friday, March 18, 2016

Technical information:
Employment: (202) 691-6559 * sminfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/sae
Unemployment: (202) 691-6392 * lausinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/lau

Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov


METROPOLITAN AREA EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT -- JANUARY 2016


Unemployment rates were lower in January than a year earlier in 333 of the 387 metropolitan areas, higher in 43 areas, and unchanged in 11 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Six areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent, and 12 areas had rates of at least 10.0 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 325 metropolitan areas, decreased in 55 areas, and was unchanged in 7 areas. The national unemployment rate in January was 5.3 percent, not seasonally adjusted, down from 6.1 percent a year earlier.

Metropolitan Area Unemployment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

Ames, Iowa, and Boulder, Colo., had the lowest unemployment rates in January, 2.5 percent each. El Centro, Calif., had the highest unemployment rate, 19.2 percent. A total of 187 areas had January jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 5.3 percent, 184 areas had rates above it, and 16 areas had rates equal to that of the nation. (See table 1.)

Ocean City, N.J., had the largest over-the-year unemployment rate decrease in January (-5.2 percentage points), followed by Atlantic City-Hammonton, N.J. (-4.8 points). Ten other areas had rate declines of at least 2.0 percentage points. The largest over-the-year rate increase occurred in Casper, Wyo. (+2.9 percentage points), followed by Odessa, Texas (+2.0 points).

Of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more, Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colo., had the lowest unemployment rate in January, 3.0 percent. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Ill.-Ind.-Wis., had the highest rate among the large areas, 6.7 percent. Forty-eight large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases and three had increases. Memphis, Tenn.-Miss.-Ark., had the largest rate decrease (-1.8 percentage points). The largest over-the-year rate increase occurred in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Wash. (+0.5 percentage point).


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Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Data Changes

In accordance with annual practices, historical data have been revised in tables 1 through 4 of this news release. For detailed information on the revisions, see the box notes at the end of the news release.
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The Regional and State Employment and Unemployment news release for February is scheduled to be released on Friday, March 25, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for February is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, April 6, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).

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