Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, August 27, 2025	                               USDL-25-1323

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 -- JULY 2025


Unemployment rates were higher in July than a year earlier in 190 of the 387 metropolitan
areas, lower in 170 areas, and unchanged in 27 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS) reported today. A total of 31 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
34 metropolitan areas and was essentially unchanged in 353 areas. The national unemployment
rate in July was 4.6 percent, not seasonally adjusted, little changed from 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 people 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 July, Rapid City, SD, and Sioux Falls, SD-MN, had the lowest unemployment rates, 1.7 percent
each. El Centro, CA, had the highest rate, 20.2 percent. A total of 239 areas had July jobless
rates below the U.S. rate of 4.6 percent, 139 areas had rates above it, and 9 areas had rates
equal to that of the nation. (See table 1.)

The largest over-the-year unemployment rate increases in July occurred in Brownsville-
Harlingen, TX, and Eagle Pass, TX (+1.5 percentage points each). Seven other areas had rate
increases of at least 1.0 percentage point. Fort Wayne, IN, had the largest over-the-year rate
decrease in July (-1.7 percentage points). Four other areas had rate declines of at least 1.0
percentage point.

Of the 56 metropolitan areas with a 2020 Census population of 1 million or more, Urban Honolulu,
HI, had the lowest jobless rate in July, 2.5 percent. Fresno, CA, had the highest rate, 8.6
percent. Thirty-two large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate increases, 21 had decreases,
and 3 had no change. The largest rate increase occurred in Cleveland, OH (+0.8 percentage point).
The largest jobless rate decline occurred in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (-1.0 percentage
point). 

Metropolitan Division Unemployment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

Thirteen of the most populous metropolitan areas are made up of 37 metropolitan divisions, which
are essentially separately identifiable employment centers. In July, Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall,
FL, had the lowest division unemployment rate, 2.8 percent. Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, MI, had
the highest rate among the divisions, 6.9 percent. (See table 2.)

In July, 22 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate increases, 13 had
decreases, and 2 had no change. The largest increase occurred in Arlington-Alexandria-Reston,
VA-WV (+0.8 percentage point). The largest unemployment rate decline from July 2024 occurred
in Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg, IL (-0.9 percentage point).

Metropolitan Area Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In July 2025, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 34 metropolitan areas and
was essentially unchanged in 353 areas. The largest over-the-year employment increases occurred
in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (+157,500), Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
(+65,300), and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX (+62,600). The largest over-the-year
percentage gains in employment occurred in Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC (+6.2
percent), Rochester, MN (+5.9 percent), and College Station-Bryan, TX (+4.9 percent). (See table
3.)

Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 14 metropolitan areas with a 2020 Census
population of 1 million or more and was essentially unchanged in 42 areas. The largest over-the-
year percentage increase in employment in these large metropolitan areas occurred in Charlotte-
Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (+2.8 percent), followed by Salt Lake City-Murray, UT, and San Antonio-
New Braunfels, TX (+2.4 percent each).

Metropolitan Division Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In July, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 6 metropolitan divisions and was
essentially unchanged in 31 divisions. The largest over-the-year increases in employment among
the metropolitan divisions occurred in New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ (+129,800),
Philadelphia, PA (+28,400), and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL (+22,100). (See table 4.)

The largest over-the-year percentage increases in employment occurred in Camden, NJ (+3.0
percent), Philadelphia, PA (+2.8 percent), and New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ (+2.0
percent).

_____________
The State Employment and Unemployment news release for August is scheduled to be released
on Friday, September 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The Metropolitan Area Employment and
Unemployment news release for August is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, October 1,
2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).


 _______________________________________________________________________________________________
|												|
|              2025 Preliminary Benchmark Revision to Establishment Survey Data			|
|                             to be Released on September 9, 2025				|
|												|
| Each year, Current Employment Statistics (CES) estimates are benchmarked to comprehensive     |
| counts of employment from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). These counts	|
| are derived from state unemployment insurance (UI) tax records that nearly all employers are	|
| required to file. As part of the benchmark process for benchmark year 2025, census-derived	|
| employment counts replace CES payroll employment estimates for all 50 states, the District	|
| of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and about 430 metropolitan areas and	|
| divisions for the period from April 2024 to September 2025.					|
|												|
| BLS will release first-quarter 2025 data from the QCEW on September 9, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.	|
| (ET). At the same time, BLS will publish preliminary benchmark revisions for March 2025 for	|
| all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select metropolitan areas at the total nonfarm	|
| level. The final benchmark revisions for all state and metropolitan area series will be	|
| issued with the publication of the January 2026 State Employment and Unemployment news	|
| release in March 2026.									|
|_______________________________________________________________________________________________|