Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Friday, January 16, 2026 		                         USDL-26-0046

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 -- NOVEMBER 2025
        
        
Unemployment rates were higher in November than a year earlier in 259 of the 387 metropolitan 
areas, lower in 100 areas, and unchanged in 28 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 
reported today. A total of 44 areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent and 8 areas had
rates of at least 8.0 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 8 metropolitan
areas, decreased in 2 areas, and was essentially unchanged in 377 areas. The national unemployment
rate in November was 4.3 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 4.0 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 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.

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|											      |
|                                 Federal Government Shutdown				      |
|											      |
| Publication of November 2025 data was delayed because of a lapse in federal appropriations  |
| (from October 1 through November 12). Both the household and establishment surveys required |
| additional data collection and processing time in November. BLS did not publish an October  |
| 2025 Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release.                            |
|											      |
| For more information, see the additional notes about the impact of the shutdown on the      |
| household survey and the establishment survey at the end of this news release.	      |
|_____________________________________________________________________________________________|
        
        
Metropolitan Area Unemployment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In November, Sioux Falls, SD-MN, had the lowest unemployment rate, 2.0 percent, followed by Rapid
City, SD, 2.1 percent. El Centro, CA, had the highest rate, 20.0 percent. A total of 224 areas had
November jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 4.3 percent, 156 areas had rates above it, and 7 
areas had rates equal to that of the nation. (See table 1.)

The largest over-the-year unemployment rate increase in November occurred in Wildwood-The Villages,
FL (+3.0 percentage points). Fifty other areas had rate increases of at least 1.0 percentage point.
Kokomo, IN, had the largest over-the-year rate decrease in November (-4.2 percentage points). 
Sixteen 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 November, 2.3 percent. Fresno, CA, had the highest rate, 8.1 
percent. Thirty-nine large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate increases, 12 had decreases,
and 5 had no change. The largest rate increase occurred in Jacksonville, FL (+1.6 percentage 
points). The largest jobless rate decline occurred in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (-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 November, Montgomery County-Bucks 
County-Chester County, PA, and Rockingham County-Strafford County, NH, had the lowest division 
unemployment rates, 3.1 percent each. Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, MI, had the highest rate among the
divisions, 6.2 percent, followed by Washington, DC-MD, 6.1 percent. (See table 2.)

In November, 32 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate increases, 3 had 
decreases, and 2 had no change. The largest increase occurred in Washington, DC-MD (+2.1 percentage
points), followed by Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ (+2.0 points). Nine other divisions had rate increases of
at least 1.0 percentage point. The largest unemployment rate decline from November 2024 occurred in
Lake County-Porter County-Jasper County, IN (-1.2 percentage points).

Metropolitan Area Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In November 2025, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 8 metropolitan areas, 
decreased in 2 areas, and was essentially unchanged in 377 areas. The largest over-the-year 
employment increases occurred in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (+86,800), Philadelphia-Camden-
Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (+40,400), and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (+37,800). The largest 
over-the-year percentage gains in employment occurred in Rochester, MN (+6.1 percent), 
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR (+3.8 percent), and Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC
(+3.7 percent). Employment decreased over the year in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
(-48,500, or -1.4 percent), and Bozeman, MT (-3,500, or -4.7 percent). (See table 3.)

Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 4 metropolitan areas with a 2020 Census population 
of 1 million or more, decreased in 1 area, and was essentially unchanged in 51 areas. The largest 
over-the-year percentage increase in employment in these large metropolitan areas occurred in 
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (+2.7 percent), followed by Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--
Franklin, TN (+1.7 percent), and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (+1.3 percent). The 
over-the-year decrease in employment occurred in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (-1.4
percent).

Metropolitan Division Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In November, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 1 metropolitan division, 
decreased in 1 division, and was essentially unchanged in 35 divisions. The over-the-year increase
in employment among the metropolitan divisions occurred in New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ
(+59,500, or +0.9 percent). The over-the-year decrease in employment occurred in Washington, DC-MD
(-29,400, or -2.5 percent). (See table 4.)

_____________
The State Employment and Unemployment news release for December 2025 is scheduled to be released on
Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment 
news release for December 2025 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at 10:00
a.m. (ET).


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|											      |
|               Household Survey Estimates and the Federal Government Shutdown		      |
|											      |
| There are no household survey estimates for October 2025. Household survey data, which      |
| provide the primary inputs to the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program, were   |
| not collected for October 2025 due to the lapse in appropriations and were not collected    |
| retroactively. The November reference period was the week that contained the 12th of the    |
| month, a typical reference week. Collection of November data began a day late due to the    |
| shutdown and was extended to provide more time for contacting households around the         |
| Thanksgiving holiday. The November response rate was lower than usual at 64.0 percent, with |
| response rates at the state level ranging from 47.2 percent to 82.8 percent.		      |
|											      |
| The lack of October 2025 data required an adjustment to the statistical weighting process.  |
| In the household survey, composite estimation relies on data from the previous month as an  |
| input to developing statistical weights for the current month's data. Without October data, |
| the composite weighting formula was adjusted by shifting previously-collected data forward  |
| 1 month.										      |
|											      |
| In the household survey, people are considered employed if they did any work at all for pay |
| or profit during the survey reference week or were temporarily absent from their jobs or    |
| businesses. The lapse in appropriations lasted from October 1 through November 12, 2025.    |
| The survey reference week was November 9 through 15. Because the government reopened before |
| the end of the November reference week, federal government workers were counted as employed |
| in the household survey.                                                                    |
|											      |
| It is not possible to precisely quantify the effect of the federal government shutdown on   |
| household survey estimates for November 2025.                                               |
|											      |
| Additional information about the impact of the shutdown on the household survey is          |
| available online at www.bls.gov/cps/methods/2025-federal-government-shutdown-impact-cps.htm.|
|_____________________________________________________________________________________________|


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|											      |
|            Establishment Survey Estimates and the Federal Government Shutdown		      |
|											      |
| This news release includes the final establishment survey estimates for both September and  |
| October 2025, and the preliminary estimates for November. The collection periods for October|
| and November estimates were extended. 						      |
|											      |
| October estimates include data that businesses self-reported electronically during the      |
| shutdown and data collected after the resumption of government operations in November. The  |
| collection rates for October and November are higher than usual as a result of the extended |
| collection periods. 									      |
|											      |
| There was no change to the reference period for October or November; it remained the pay    |
| period that includes the 12th of the month. There were no changes to seasonal adjustment    |
| or estimation methodology.								      |
|											      |
| The September data are final estimates and incorporate routine revisions.                   |
|											      |
| In the establishment survey, businesses and government agencies report the number of people |
| on payrolls during the pay period that includes the 12th of the month. Individuals who work |
| or receive pay for any part of the pay period are defined as employed. Federal employees on |
| furlough during the federal government shutdown were considered employed in the	      |
| establishment survey because they worked or received pay, even if later than usual, for the |
| pay period that included the 12th of the month. Other workers (including federal	      |
| contractors) who did not work or receive pay during the federal government shutdown were    |
| not counted among the employed. 							      |
|											      |
| It is not possible to precisely quantify the total impact of the federal government	      |
| shutdown on payroll employment estimates for October and November 2025.	              |
|_____________________________________________________________________________________________|


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| 											      |
|               Upcoming Changes to the Establishment Survey Birth-Death Model	              |
|											      |
| Effective with the release of January 2026 data, the establishment survey will change the   |
| birth-death model by incorporating current sample information each month. The change	      |
| follows the same methodology applied to the April through October 2024 forecasts during the |
| 2024 post-benchmark period (see question 9 in the CES Birth-Death Model Frequently Asked    |
| Questions page at www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cesbdqa.htm).				      |
|_____________________________________________________________________________________________|