Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, August 30, 2023 	                                  USDL-23-1891

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 2023


Unemployment rates were lower in July than a year earlier in 192 of the 389 metropolitan areas, 
higher in 176 areas, and unchanged in 21 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. 
A total of 12 areas had jobless rates of less than 2.0 percent and 5 areas had rates of at least 
8.0 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 79 metropolitan areas, decreased 
in 1 area, and was essentially unchanged in 309 areas. The national unemployment rate in July was 
3.8 percent, not seasonally adjusted, the same as 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 July, Sioux Falls, SD, had the lowest unemployment rate, 1.4 percent. The next lowest rates 
were in Burlington-South Burlington, VT, 1.5 percent, and Rapid City, SD, 1.6 percent. El Centro, 
CA, had the highest rate, 17.7 percent. A total of 233 areas had July jobless rates below the U.S.
rate of 3.8 percent, 138 areas had rates above it, and 18 areas had rates equal to that of the 
nation. (See table 1.)

The largest over-the-year unemployment rate decreases in July occurred in California-Lexington Park,
MD, and Johnstown, PA (-1.8 percentage points each). Thirty-eight other areas had rate declines of 
at least 1.0 percentage point. El Centro, CA, had the largest over-the-year rate increase in July
(+2.5 percentage points), closely followed by Elkhart-Goshen, IN (+2.4 points).

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 July, 1.7 percent. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV, had 
the highest rate, 6.1 percent. Twenty-four large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, 
24 had increases, and 3 had no change. The largest rate decline occurred in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, 
MD (-1.7 percentage points). The largest jobless rate increase was in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, 
CA (+0.9 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 July, Silver Spring-Frederick-
Rockville, MD, had the lowest division unemployment rate, 1.6 percent. Los Angeles-Long Beach-
Glendale, CA, had the highest rate among the divisions, 5.4 percent. (See table 2.)

In July, 20 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases and 18 had 
increases. The largest rate decline occurred in Silver Spring-Frederick-Rockville, MD 
(-1.5 percentage points). The largest over-the-year jobless rate increases occurred in Elgin,
IL; Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI; and Newark, NJ-PA (+1.2 percentage points each).

Metropolitan Area Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In July, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 79 metropolitan areas, decreased 
in 1 area, and was essentially unchanged in 309 areas. The largest over-the-year employment 
increases occurred in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA (+227,000), Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, 
TX (+178,600), and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (+152,600). The largest over-the-year 
percentage gain in employment occurred in Midland, TX (+6.3 percent), followed by Las Cruces, 
NM (+5.4 percent), and Charleston-North Charleston, SC (+5.0 percent). The over-the-year decrease 
in employment occurred in Elkhart-Goshen, IN (-6,300, or -4.3 percent). (See table 3.)

Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 35 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population 
of 1 million or more, while employment was essentially unchanged in 16 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), and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX (+4.4 percent),
followed by Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC, and Jacksonville, FL (+4.2 percent each).

Metropolitan Division Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In July, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 16 metropolitan divisions and was 
essentially unchanged in 22 divisions. The largest over-the-year increases in employment among the
metropolitan divisions occurred in New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ (+188,700), Dallas-
Plano-Irving, TX (+128,000), and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA (+104,300). (See table 4.)

The largest over-the-year percentage increases in employment occurred in Dallas-Plano-Irving,
TX (+4.4 percent), Fort Worth-Arlington, TX (+4.3 percent), and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, 
FL (+3.8 percent).

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The State Employment and Unemployment news release for August is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, 
September 19, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release 
for August is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).