Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, September 27, 2023 	                                USDL-23-2073

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 -- AUGUST 2023


Unemployment rates were higher in August than a year earlier in 189 of the 389 metropolitan areas, 
lower in 186 areas, and unchanged in 14 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
A total of nine areas had jobless rates of less than 2.0 percent and five areas had rates of at least 
8.0 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 66 metropolitan areas, decreased 
in 1 area, and was essentially unchanged in 322 areas. The national unemployment rate in August was 
3.9 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 individuals 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 August, Bismarck, ND, had the lowest unemployment rate, 1.5 percent. The next lowest rate was in 
Fargo, ND-MN, 1.6 percent. El Centro, CA, and Yuma, AZ, had the highest rates, 19.7 percent and 18.7 
percent, respectively. A total of 221 areas had August jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 3.9 percent, 
151 areas had rates above it, and 17 areas had rates equal to that of the nation. (See table 1.)

The largest over-the-year unemployment rate increase in August occurred in Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ 
(+2.9 percentage points), followed by El Centro, CA (+2.7 points). Thirty other areas had rate 
increases of at least 1.0 percentage point. Kokomo, IN, had the largest over-the-year rate decrease 
in August (-2.1 percentage points), while 42 other areas had rate declines of at least 1.0 point.

Of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more, Baltimore-Columbia-
Towson, MD, had the lowest jobless rate in August, 1.8 percent. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV, had 
the highest rate, 6.1 percent. Twenty-seven large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate increases, 
23 had decreases, and 1 had no change. The largest rate increase was in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, 
CA (+1.2 percentage points). The largest jobless rate decline occurred in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson,
MD (-1.7 percentage points).

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 August, Silver Spring-Frederick-Rockville, 
MD, had the lowest division unemployment rate, 1.6 percent. Elgin, IL, and Los Angeles-Long Beach-
Glendale, CA, had the highest rates among the divisions, 5.8 percent each. (See table 2.)

In August, 18 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate increases, 18 had decreases,
and 2 had no change. The largest rate increase occurred in Newark, NJ-PA (+2.0 percentage points). The
largest over-the-year jobless rate decline occurred in Silver Spring-Frederick-Rockville, MD (-1.5 
percentage points).

Metropolitan Area Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In August, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 66 metropolitan areas, decreased in 
1 area, and was essentially unchanged in 322 areas. The largest over-the-year employment increases 
occurred in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA (+208,200), Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX (+154,800),
and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (+142,400). The largest over-the-year percentage gains in
employment occurred in Midland, TX (+5.3 percent), and Huntsville, AL (+4.6 percent), followed by Ann Arbor,
MI, Charleston-North Charleston, SC, Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV, and Trenton, NJ (+4.5 percent each). 
The over-the-year decrease in employment occurred in Elkhart-Goshen, IN (-5,200, or -3.5 percent). 
(See table 3.)

Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 32 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 
1 million or more, while employment was essentially unchanged in 19 areas. The largest over-the-year
percentage increases in employment in these large metropolitan areas occurred in Las Vegas-Henderson-
Paradise, NV (+4.5 percent), Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX (+3.8 percent), and Charlotte-Concord-
Gastonia, NC-SC (+3.7 percent).

Metropolitan Division Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In August, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 15 metropolitan divisions and was 
essentially unchanged in 23 divisions. The largest over-the-year increases in employment among the
metropolitan divisions occurred in New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ (+174,400), Dallas-Plano-
Irving, TX (+112,700), and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA (+99,700). (See table 4.)

The largest over-the-year percentage increases in employment occurred in Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX 
(+3.8 percent), Fort Worth-Arlington, TX (+3.6 percent), and Philadelphia, PA (+3.5 percent).

_____________
The State Employment and Unemployment news release for September is scheduled to be released on 
Friday, October 20, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news 
release for September is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).