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Unemployment rates down in 308 of the 388 metropolitan areas over the year ending September 2018

November 14, 2018

In September 2018, unemployment rates were lower than they were a year earlier in 308 of the 388 metropolitan areas, higher in 58 areas, and unchanged in 22 areas. A total of 201 metropolitan areas had jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 3.6 percent, 169 areas had rates above it, and 18 areas had rates equal to that of the nation. In September 2018, the national unemployment rate was 3.6 percent.

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At 1.4 percent, Ames, Iowa, had the lowest unemployment rate in the nation in September. El Centro, California (19.3 percent), and Yuma, Arizona (19.1 percent), had the highest unemployment rates in September. Brunswick, Georgia, had the largest over-the-year unemployment rate decrease (–3.2 percentage points), and Texarkana, Texas-Arkansas, had the largest over-the-year unemployment rate increase (+0.9 percentage point).

These data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program and are not seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent month are preliminary. To learn more, see “Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment — September 2018.” Also see Charts related to the latest "Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment" news release.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Unemployment rates down in 308 of the 388 metropolitan areas over the year ending September 2018 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2018/unemployment-rates-down-in-308-of-the-388-metropolitan-areas-over-the-year-ending-september-2018.htm (visited April 19, 2024).

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Metropolitan area unemployment rates in September, 1990 to 2018, not seasonally adjusted
Metropolitan area	Sep 1990	Sep 1991	Sep 1992	Sep 1993	Sep 1994	Sep 1995	Sep 1996	Sep 1997	Sep 1998	Sep 1999	Sep 2000	Sep 2001	Sep 2002	Sep 2003	Sep 2004	Sep 2005	Sep 2006	Sep 2007	Sep 2008	Sep 2009	Sep 2010	Sep 2011	Sep 2012	Sep 2013	Sep 2014	Sep 2015	Sep 2016	Sep 2017	Sep 2018^(p)
Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL	6.4	7.0	8.8	7.8	7.1	8.5	5.5	6.4	4.9	5.2	4.8	5.5	5.7	6.0	5.4	4.1	3.9	4.0	5.9	11.6	10.5	10.2	8.6	9.0	7.4	6.9	6.4	4.2	4.5
Auburn-Opelika, AL	5.3	6.1	4.8	6.4	3.8	4.6	3.0	4.8	3.6	3.9	4.0	4.2	4.4	4.8	4.4	3.4	3.3	3.6	5.3	9.5	8.2	7.6	6.3	5.4	5.0	5.0	5.1	3.2	3.6
Birmingham-Hoover, AL	5.7	5.9	6.4	5.6	4.5	4.4	3.5	4.0	3.4	3.6	3.8	4.4	5.0	5.2	4.9	3.9	3.5	3.7	5.3	11.0	9.3	8.6	6.7	6.3	5.6	5.3	5.6	3.4	3.5
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL	5.2	5.2	5.7	6.4	4.7	5.2	3.6	3.7	2.8	3.3	3.5	4.4	5.0	4.9	5.4	3.9	3.0	3.2	4.8	10.3	9.2	8.8	7.1	6.4	5.7	5.3	5.3	3.4	3.4
Decatur, AL	6.5	7.6	7.3	7.7	6.3	6.1	4.7	5.1	4.3	4.8	4.2	5.2	6.0	7.0	6.0	4.3	3.6	3.6	5.6	11.8	10.1	9.5	7.5	7.0	6.5	6.0	5.8	3.6	3.5
Dothan, AL	4.7	5.5	5.7	6.8	5.4	5.3	5.2	4.6	4.4	4.5	4.5	4.6	4.6	5.2	4.9	3.8	3.4	3.9	5.5	10.0	8.8	8.8	7.4	7.0	6.5	6.1	5.8	3.7	4.0
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL	7.6	7.2	6.5	7.0	6.3	6.2	5.9	6.5	6.7	7.2	4.9	6.4	8.0	7.0	6.5	4.7	3.9	4.4	5.9	11.3	9.8	9.5	7.7	7.5	7.4	6.9	6.4	4.0	4.2
Gadsden, AL	11.7	10.5	7.9	7.3	6.2	6.2	4.9	4.9	5.4	7.2	7.7	5.9	5.9	6.3	6.3	4.3	4.1	4.5	6.2	11.8	10.2	9.9	7.9	7.6	6.3	6.0	6.0	3.8	3.9
Huntsville, AL	5.0	5.5	4.6	5.4	4.8	4.1	3.1	2.9	3.2	3.3	3.6	3.9	4.5	4.9	4.5	3.5	3.1	3.2	4.4	8.6	8.1	8.2	6.6	6.2	5.7	5.2	5.1	3.3	3.4
Mobile, AL	7.3	7.2	8.3	8.2	7.2	7.1	5.5	5.4	4.9	5.7	4.8	5.8	6.4	7.0	6.6	5.6	4.0	4.1	6.0	12.0	10.5	10.6	8.8	8.5	7.3	6.8	6.7	4.3	4.6
Montgomery, AL	6.8	6.3	6.6	5.8	5.2	5.6	4.4	4.6	3.8	4.5	4.1	4.7	5.2	5.7	5.5	4.1	3.8	4.0	6.0	10.8	9.4	9.4	7.6	7.2	6.3	5.7	5.6	3.6	3.8
Tuscaloosa, AL	4.6	5.8	6.0	5.4	4.8	5.1	4.1	4.2	3.6	4.1	4.3	6.1	5.0	5.3	5.1	3.7	3.4	3.6	5.2	10.5	8.9	8.5	7.0	6.5	5.7	5.3	5.7	3.4	3.6
Anchorage, AK	5.7	7.6	7.6	6.0	5.7	5.6	5.8	5.6	4.6	4.7	4.9	4.9	5.9	6.3	5.9	5.5	5.3	5.3	5.6	6.9	6.7	6.1	5.4	5.4	5.4	5.3	6.0	6.4	5.3
Fairbanks, AK	7.5	8.7	7.7	7.2	6.5	6.1	6.3	5.4	5.3	4.7	5.0	5.2	5.8	6.1	5.5	5.0	5.0	5.0	5.4	6.5	5.7	5.6	5.1	5.0	5.1	4.9	5.6	5.9	4.9
Flagstaff, AZ	6.7	7.1	8.2	7.8	7.7	6.9	7.8	6.7	6.0	5.3	3.7	4.3	5.0	5.3	4.7	4.4	4.0	3.4	5.9	9.0	8.9	9.0	7.9	7.9	6.6	6.2	5.7	5.0	5.0
Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ	4.6	6.6	8.6	9.5	8.0	6.4	6.9	4.7	4.1	4.0	4.2	5.1	5.6	4.9	4.2	4.4	4.5	4.9	8.7	11.9	13.0	12.4	10.7	10.3	8.7	7.9	6.6	5.7	5.8
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	4.5	6.0	6.7	5.0	4.8	3.8	4.0	3.0	3.1	3.1	3.3	4.9	5.7	5.3	4.4	4.2	3.7	3.3	6.5	10.3	9.6	8.8	7.2	6.9	6.0	5.2	4.7	4.2	4.2
Prescott, AZ	4.6	5.5	6.5	4.9	4.9	5.0	4.7	3.5	3.3	3.3	4.0	4.5	5.1	5.0	4.4	4.6	4.0	3.7	7.1	11.2	10.5	9.7	8.1	7.6	6.1	5.4	5.0	4.4	4.6
Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ	6.0	7.5	8.9	8.8	9.8	9.8	8.9	7.3	6.5	5.0	4.4	5.2	5.7	5.3	4.8	4.9	4.4	3.9	6.5	8.6	9.4	9.5	8.9	9.3	8.1	7.2	6.2	5.7	5.8
Tucson, AZ	4.7	4.8	5.6	4.0	4.1	3.6	3.9	3.3	2.9	3.4	3.7	4.9	5.7	5.3	4.6	4.6	4.1	3.8	6.7	10.0	9.3	8.6	7.2	6.9	6.1	5.5	5.1	4.4	4.5
Yuma, AZ	24.9	26.5	30.7	31.6	37.6	34.0	36.1	33.1	33.8	35.6	21.1	22.4	21.8	20.4	17.1	17.8	17.1	16.9	22.9	26.8	26.9	25.7	25.4	27.4	24.4	24.8	20.6	18.9	19.1
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO	3.9	3.9	3.5	2.7	2.3	2.5	2.8	3.1	3.1	2.4	2.8	3.1	3.0	3.9	3.6	3.3	3.5	3.9	4.2	6.2	6.5	6.2	5.5	5.3	4.3	3.2	2.8	2.7	2.5
Fort Smith, AR-OK	6.8	8.6	7.1	6.6	5.3	5.3	4.8	5.2	5.3	3.6	3.5	4.3	4.6	5.4	4.9	4.3	4.9	4.9	4.9	7.9	8.1	8.4	8.1	7.4	5.6	5.0	4.5	4.1	3.5
Hot Springs, AR	6.6	7.3	7.5	6.8	5.5	4.7	4.6	4.2	4.7	4.4	3.9	4.6	5.5	6.4	5.8	5.6	5.0	5.5	5.8	7.5	8.3	8.3	7.5	7.4	6.0	5.0	4.2	4.0	3.8
Jonesboro, AR	6.2	7.1	6.2	5.2	3.9	3.5	4.3	4.4	4.4	3.6	4.1	5.3	5.1	5.9	5.1	4.7	4.7	5.4	5.1	7.1	7.5	7.3	7.0	6.4	5.2	4.0	3.2	3.0	2.8
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	5.8	6.0	5.7	4.7	4.0	3.6	3.8	4.0	3.7	3.4	3.4	4.3	4.5	5.3	4.8	4.5	4.5	4.6	4.8	6.7	6.9	7.1	6.4	6.2	5.1	4.1	3.5	3.2	3.0
Pine Bluff, AR	9.3	9.9	9.9	8.9	7.9	6.5	8.2	7.8	7.7	7.1	5.3	6.3	7.0	7.4	7.2	7.0	7.5	6.9	7.5	9.7	10.0	10.4	9.3	9.4	7.6	6.2	5.2	4.7	4.7
Bakersfield, CA	10.0	10.5	15.5	14.1	13.6	12.0	11.1	10.7	10.1	9.1	6.6	6.9	8.1	8.7	8.2	7.1	6.2	7.2	9.1	13.4	14.2	13.4	11.2	10.3	8.7	8.7	9.2	7.5	6.6
Chico, CA	7.2	8.1	11.3	10.4	8.5	8.4	7.1	7.3	6.5	5.3	5.2	5.6	6.3	6.4	6.0	5.9	5.2	6.0	8.1	11.9	13.0	12.9	10.8	9.4	7.5	6.1	5.9	4.8	4.1
El Centro, CA	33.7	30.8	38.3	34.2	29.6	35.6	34.7	33.4	32.0	28.1	22.7	19.1	17.3	18.5	18.9	18.6	18.4	20.9	26.6	29.9	30.9	30.9	28.9	26.9	26.5	24.8	25.9	20.2	19.3
Fresno, CA	9.0	9.1	13.7	12.6	11.7	11.1	10.2	10.7	11.0	9.8	7.9	8.2	8.9	9.2	8.3	7.5	6.4	7.2	9.4	13.4	15.0	15.0	13.0	11.5	9.7	8.3	8.2	6.8	5.9
Hanford-Corcoran, CA	10.0	9.2	14.0	13.2	12.1	11.5	9.6	10.5	11.3	9.6	7.9	8.4	9.2	9.3	8.5	7.5	6.5	7.0	9.3	12.8	14.2	13.9	12.5	11.3	9.5	8.3	8.3	6.8	6.0
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	5.7	7.8	9.7	9.1	8.1	7.6	6.9	6.0	6.1	5.3	4.9	5.5	6.1	6.5	5.6	4.7	4.3	5.0	7.8	11.4	11.9	11.6	9.7	8.8	7.4	5.6	5.0	4.3	4.3
Madera, CA	8.8	9.8	12.1	11.7	10.8	9.9	10.1	8.3	8.9	7.6	5.8	6.7	7.6	7.5	6.7	6.1	5.3	6.1	7.9	11.6	14.4	14.1	11.9	10.7	9.0	8.3	7.6	6.1	5.4
Merced, CA	9.1	10.5	13.9	12.8	12.0	12.5	11.5	10.6	10.7	8.6	6.7	7.4	7.8	8.3	8.0	7.8	7.2	8.1	10.8	14.2	15.4	15.1	13.2	11.8	10.1	8.3	8.2	6.7	5.9
Modesto, CA	8.6	10.5	13.7	13.0	12.3	11.8	10.8	10.0	8.9	7.5	6.0	6.7	7.6	7.9	7.5	7.2	6.6	7.7	10.2	14.4	15.2	14.8	12.8	11.3	9.5	7.9	7.4	6.0	5.3
Napa, CA	3.3	5.7	5.6	6.3	5.7	5.3	4.9	4.0	3.4	2.6	3.1	3.4	4.1	4.4	3.9	4.0	3.4	3.7	4.9	8.1	9.6	9.0	7.3	6.0	4.9	3.8	3.9	3.0	2.5
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	7.5	8.8	10.2	9.7	8.6	8.7	8.2	7.7	6.6	5.5	4.8	5.4	6.0	5.9	5.3	4.9	4.4	5.2	6.9	10.4	10.9	10.4	8.8	7.8	6.5	5.5	5.4	4.3	3.7
Redding, CA	7.1	9.1	12.2	10.6	10.5	9.4	7.9	7.9	7.4	5.4	5.1	5.6	6.1	6.6	6.3	6.4	5.5	6.7	9.6	13.7	15.6	14.6	12.5	10.5	8.2	6.6	6.3	4.9	4.3
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	7.6	9.7	11.7	11.4	9.7	9.4	7.9	7.6	6.8	5.5	5.1	5.5	6.3	6.4	5.6	5.4	5.0	6.2	9.2	13.7	13.7	13.1	11.0	9.6	7.7	6.2	6.1	4.9	4.1