Metropolitan area employment and unemployment, January 2012

In January, 270 metropolitan areas reported over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment, 94 reported decreases, and 8 had no change.

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Over the year, nonfarm employment rose in 33 of the 37 metropolitan areas with annual average employment levels above 750,000 in 2011.

Unemployment rates were lower in January than a year earlier in 345 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 16 areas, and unchanged in 11 areas.

In January, 86 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent, down from 150 areas a year earlier, while 83 areas posted rates below 7.0 percent, up from 47 areas in January 2011.

A total of 201 metropolitan areas recorded January unemployment rates below the U.S. figure of 8.8 percent (not seasonally adjusted), 162 areas reported rates above it, and 9 areas had rates equal to that of the nation.

The metropolitan area data are not seasonally adjusted and are from the Current Employment Statistics (State and Area) and Local Area Unemployment Statistics programs. January 2012 metropolitan area employment and unemployment data are preliminary and subject to revision. Find out more in "Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment — January 2012" (HTML) (PDF), news release USDL-12-0497.