For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Wednesday, August 2, 2017                       USDL-17-1068

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 -- JUNE 2017


Unemployment rates were lower in June than a year earlier in 336 of the 388 metropolitan
areas, higher in 45 areas, and unchanged in 7 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported today. Twenty-six areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent and two
areas had rates of at least 10.0 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the
year in 342 metropolitan areas, decreased in 39 areas, and was unchanged in 7 areas. The
national unemployment rate in June was 4.5 percent, not seasonally adjusted, down from
5.1 percent a year earlier.

Metropolitan Area Unemployment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In June, Fort Collins, Colo., had the lowest unemployment rate, 2.1 percent, closely
followed by Boulder, Colo.; Elkhart-Goshen, Ind.; Fargo, N.D.-Minn.; and Idaho Falls,
Idaho, 2.3 percent each. El Centro, Calif., and Yuma, Ariz., had the highest unemployment
rates, 20.8 percent and 20.5 percent, respectively. A total of 192 areas had June jobless
rates below the U.S. rate of 4.5 percent, 185 areas had rates above it, and 11 areas had
rates equal to that of the nation. (See table 1.)

El Centro, Calif., had the largest over-the-year unemployment rate decrease in June (-3.2
percentage points). An additional 106 areas had rate declines of at least 1.0 percentage
point. The largest over-the-year rate increase occurred in Toledo, Ohio (+1.5 percentage
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 June, 2.5 percent.
Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio, had the highest jobless rate among the large areas, 6.4 percent.
Forty-three large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases and eight had
increases. The largest rate decrease occurred in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, Mich. (-2.0
percentage points). The largest over-the-year rate increase was in Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio
(+0.7 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 June, Nashua, N.H.-
Mass., had the lowest unemployment rate among the divisions, 3.0 percent, followed by
San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, Calif., and San Rafael, Calif., 3.1
percent each. Philadelphia, Pa., had the highest division rate, 5.9 percent. (See
table 2.)

In June, 25 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, 12 had
increases, and 1 had no change. The largest rate decline occurred in Detroit-Dearborn-
Livonia, Mich. (-2.2 percentage points). The largest over-the-year rate increase occurred
in Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, Mass.-N.H. (+0.5 percentage point).

Metropolitan Area Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In June, 342 metropolitan areas had over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment,
39 had decreases, and 7 had no change. The largest over-the-year employment increases
occurred in New York-Newark-Jersey City, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. (+169,500), Dallas-Fort Worth-
Arlington, Texas (+115,300), and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, Calif. (+102,600). The
largest over-the-year percentage gains in employment occurred in Manhattan, Kan. (+7.8
percent), Fort Collins, Colo. (+7.2 percent), and Sebring, Fla. (+5.7 percent). (See
table 3.)

The largest over-the-year decrease in employment occurred in Houma-Thibodaux, La.
(-2,800), followed by Shreveport-Bossier City, La. (-1,900), and Casper, Wyo. (-1,500).
The largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment occurred in Casper, Wyo.
(-3.8 percent), followed by Houma-Thibodaux, La. (-3.2 percent), and Cape Girardeau,
Mo.-Ill. (-2.9 percent).

Over the year, nonfarm employment rose in 50 of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010
Census population of 1 million or more, and fell in Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News,
Va.-N.C. (-900, or -0.1 percent). The largest over-the-year percentage increase in
employment in these large metropolitan areas occurred in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Fla.
(+4.0 percent), followed by Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nev. (+3.7 percent), and 
Jacksonville, Fla.; Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, Tenn.; and Tampa-St.
Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla. (+3.6 percent each).

Metropolitan Division Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In June, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 36 of the 38 metropolitan divisions
over the year, and fell in 2. The largest over-the-year increase in employment among
the metropolitan divisions occurred in New York-Jersey City-White Plains, N.Y.-N.J.
(+147,000), followed by Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas (+85,200), and Los Angeles-Long
Beach-Glendale, Calif. (+83,600). The largest over-the-year percentage increases
occurred in Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, Fla. (+4.3 percent),
Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas (+3.4 percent), and Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury Town,
Mass.-N.H., and West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Delray Beach, Fla. (+3.1 percent each).
The over-the-year decreases in employment occurred in Newark, N.J.-Pa. (-1,000, or
-0.1 percent), and Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, Mass.-N.H. (-400, or -0.5 percent).
(See table 4.)

_____________
The State Employment and Unemployment news release for July is scheduled to be
released on Friday, August 18, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). The Metropolitan Area
Employment and Unemployment news release for July is scheduled to be released on
Wednesday, August 30, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).