Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, May 29, 2024 	                               USDL-24-1065

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 -- APRIL 2024


Unemployment rates were higher in April than a year earlier in 305 of the 389 metropolitan
areas, lower in 56 areas, and unchanged in 28 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported today. A total of 134 areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent and 10 areas
had rates of at least 8.0 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 49
metropolitan areas, decreased in 2 areas, and was essentially unchanged in 338 areas. The
national unemployment rate in April was 3.5 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 3.1
percent a year earlier.

This news release presents statistics from two monthly programs. The civilian labor force
and unemployment data are based on the same concepts and definitions as those used for the 
national household survey estimates. These data pertain to individuals by where they reside.
The employment data are from an establishment survey that measures nonfarm employment, hours,
and earnings by industry. These data pertain to jobs on payrolls defined by where the 
establishments are located. For more information about the concepts and statistical 
methodologies used by these two programs, see the Technical Note.

Metropolitan Area Unemployment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In April, Ames, IA; Hattiesburg, MS; and Jackson, MS, had the lowest unemployment rates, 1.6
percent each. The next lowest rates were in Burlington-South Burlington, VT, and Iowa City,
IA, 1.7 percent each. El Centro, CA, had the highest rate, 15.7 percent. A total of 217 areas
had April jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 3.5 percent, 156 areas had rates above it, and
16 areas had rates equal to that of the nation. (See table 1.)

The largest over-the-year unemployment rate increase in April occurred in El Centro, CA (+2.0
percentage points). Thirty-seven other areas had rate increases of at least 1.0 percentage
point. Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ, had the largest over-the-year rate decrease in April (-1.2
percentage points).

Of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more, Nashville-
Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, had the lowest jobless rate in April, 2.2 percent. Las
Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV, had the highest rate, 5.2 percent. Forty-two large areas had
over-the-year unemployment rate increases, two had decreases, and seven had no change. The 
largest rate increases were in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
(+1.2 percentage points each). The largest jobless rate decline occurred in Phoenix-Mesa-
Scottsdale, AZ (-0.8 percentage point).

Metropolitan Division Unemployment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

Eleven of the most populous metropolitan areas are made up of 38 metropolitan divisions,
which are essentially separately identifiable employment centers. In April, Miami-Miami
Beach-Kendall, FL, had the lowest division unemployment rate, 2.1 percent. Elgin, IL, had
the highest rate among the divisions, 5.2 percent. (See table 2.)

In April, 37 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate increases, the 
largest of which was in Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, MI (+1.4 percentage points). The only
negative rate difference relative to April 2023 was marginal (-0.1 percentage point in
Montgomery County-Bucks County-Chester County, PA).

Metropolitan Area Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In April, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 49 metropolitan areas,
decreased in 2 areas, and was essentially unchanged in 338 areas. The largest over-the-
year employment increases occurred in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA (+155,200),
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX (+80,700), and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 
(+75,400). The largest over-the-year percentage gains in employment occurred in Ocean 
City, NJ (+17.9 percent), Madera, CA (+6.2 percent), and Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle
Beach, SC-NC (+5.3 percent). The over-the-year decreases occurred in Kahului-Wailuku-
Lahaina, HI (-5,500, or -7.2 percent), and Elkhart-Goshen, IN (-5,000, or -3.6 percent).
(See table 3.)

Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 25 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census
population of 1 million or more and was essentially unchanged in 26 areas. The largest 
over-the-year percentage increases in employment in these large metropolitan areas occurred
in Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV (+3.9 percent), Oklahoma City, OK (+3.0 percent), and
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA (+2.9 percent).

Metropolitan Division Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In April, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 8 metropolitan divisions
and was essentially unchanged in 30 divisions. The largest over-the-year increases in
employment among the metropolitan divisions occurred in New York-Jersey City-White Plains,
NY-NJ (+107,300), Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX (+53,600), and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL 
(+37,300). (See table 4.)

The largest over-the-year percentage increases in employment occurred in Miami-Miami Beach-
Kendall, FL (+2.9 percent), Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, FL (+2.6 percent),
and Camden, NJ (+2.3 percent).

_____________
The State Employment and Unemployment news release for May is scheduled to be released
on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The Metropolitan Area Employment and
Unemployment news release for May is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, July 3, 2024,
at 10:00 a.m. (ET).