Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, July 30, 2025 		                         USDL-25-1199

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 2025
                  
                  
Unemployment rates were higher in June than a year earlier in 217 of the 387 metropolitan areas, 
lower in 147 areas, and unchanged in 23 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported 
today. A total of 27 areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent and 9 areas had rates of at 
least 8.0 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 30 metropolitan areas and 
was essentially unchanged in 357 areas. The national unemployment rate in June was 4.4 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 June, Sioux Falls, SD-MN, had the lowest unemployment rate, 1.8 percent, followed by Rapid City, 
SD, 1.9 percent. El Centro, CA, had the highest rate, 18.9 percent. A total of 226 areas had June 
jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 4.4 percent, 146 areas had rates above it, and 15 areas had 
rates equal to that of the nation. (See table 1.)

The largest over-the-year unemployment rate increase in June occurred in Yuma, AZ (+2.5 percentage 
points). Eighteen other areas had rate increases of at least 1.0 percentage point. Kankakee, IL, had
the largest over-the-year rate decrease in June (-1.4 percentage points). Nine 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, Birmingham, AL, had 
the lowest jobless rate in June, 2.8 percent. Fresno, CA, had the highest rate, 8.5 percent. 
Thirty-five large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate increases, 19 had decreases, and 2 had no 
change. The largest rate increase occurred in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA (+1.0 percentage 
point). The largest jobless rate decline occurred in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (-1.3 percentage
points). 

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 June, Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL, had 
the lowest division unemployment rate, 2.4 percent. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA, had the 
highest rate among the divisions, 5.9 percent. (See table 2.)

In June, 20 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate increases, 16 had decreases, 
and 1 had no change. The largest increase occurred in Arlington-Alexandria-Reston, VA-WV (+0.9 
percentage point). The largest unemployment rate decline from June 2024 occurred in Lake County, IL 
(-1.3 percentage points).

Metropolitan Area Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In June 2025, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 30 metropolitan areas and was 
essentially unchanged in 357 areas. The largest over-the-year employment increases occurred in New 
York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (+110,100), Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (+53,600), and 
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (+46,500). The largest over-the-year percentage gains
in employment occurred in Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC (+5.2 percent), Rochester, MN
(+4.8 percent), and St. George, UT (+4.3 percent). (See table 3.)

Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 13 metropolitan areas with a 2020 Census population 
of 1 million or more and was essentially unchanged in 43 areas. The largest over-the-year percentage
increases in employment in these large metropolitan areas occurred in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, 
NC-SC, and Raleigh-Cary, NC (+2.6 percent each), followed by Urban Honolulu, HI (+2.4 percent).

Metropolitan Division Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In June, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 3 metropolitan divisions and was 
essentially unchanged in 34 divisions. The over-the-year increases in employment among the metropolitan
divisions occurred in New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ (+91,700, or +1.4 percent), 
Seattle-Bellevue-Kent, WA (+19,800, or +1.3 percent), and Camden, NJ (+11,800, or +2.0 percent). 
(See table 4.)

_____________
The State Employment and Unemployment news release for July is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, 
August 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release 
for July is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, August 27, 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 selected 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.                                                                                    |
|________________________________________________________________________________________________|