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Economic News Release
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Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, March 13, 2024 	                          USDL-24-0486

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 -- JANUARY 2024


Unemployment rates were higher in January than a year earlier in 218 of the 389 metropolitan
areas, lower in 148 areas, and unchanged in 23 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported today. A total of 62 areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent and 13 areas
had rates of at least 8.0 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 59
metropolitan areas, decreased in 3 areas, and was essentially unchanged in 327 areas. The
national unemployment rate in January was 4.1 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 January, Burlington-South Burlington, VT; Madison, WI; and Sioux Falls, SD, had the
lowest unemployment rates, 2.0 percent each. The next lowest rates were in Rapid City, SD,
and Sheboygan, WI, 2.1 percent each. El Centro, CA, had the highest rate, 17.8 percent. A
total of 221 areas had January jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 4.1 percent, 161 areas
had rates above it, and 7 areas had rates equal to that of the nation. (See table 1.)


 _____________________________________________________________________________________
|										      |
|             Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Data Changes	      |
|										      |
| In accordance with annual practices, historical data in tables 1 through 4 of this  |
| news release have been revised. For detailed information on the revisions, see the  |
| box notes at the end of the news release.					      |
|_____________________________________________________________________________________|


The largest over-the-year unemployment rate increase in January occurred in Kahului-Wailuku-
Lahaina, HI (+2.9 percentage points). Thirty-one other areas had rate increases of at least
1.0 percentage point. Elkhart-Goshen, IN, had the largest over-the-year rate decrease in
January (-1.5 percentage points). Five other areas had rate declines of at least 1.0 percentage
point.

Of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more, Miami-Fort
Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL, had the lowest jobless rate in January, 2.4 percent. Los
Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA, had the highest 
rates, 5.5 percent each. Thirty-three large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate 
increases, 11 had decreases, and 7 had no change. The largest rate increase was in San Jose-
Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (+1.3 percentage points). The largest jobless rate decline occurred
in Pittsburgh, PA (-0.8 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 January, Miami-Miami Beach-
Kendall, FL, had the lowest division unemployment rate, 1.4 percent. Elgin, IL, had the highest
rate among the divisions, 6.5 percent. (See table 2.)

In January, 20 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate increases, 15 had
decreases, and 3 had no change. The largest rate increase occurred in Oakland-Hayward-Berkeley,
CA (+1.3 percentage points). The largest over-the-year jobless rate decline occurred in Taunton-
Middleborough-Norton, MA (-0.7 percentage point).

Metropolitan Area Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In January, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 59 metropolitan areas,
decreased in 3 areas, and was essentially unchanged in 327 areas. The largest over-the-year
employment increases occurred in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA (+160,100), Houston-The
Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX (+83,300), and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL (+78,900).
The largest over-the-year percentage gain in employment occurred in Madera, CA (+6.6 percent),
followed by Ithaca, NY, and Yuba City, CA (+6.2 percent each). The over-the-year decreases in
employment occurred in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA (-23,600, or -1.9 percent), Memphis,
TN-MS-AR (-12,600, or -1.9 percent), and Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI (-5,400, or -7.1 percent).
(See table 3.)

Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 20 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census
population of 1 million or more, decreased in 2 areas, and was essentially unchanged in 29
areas. The largest over-the-year percentage increases in employment in these large metropolitan
areas occurred in Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV (+3.5 percent), Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-
Arcade, CA (+2.9 percent), and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL (+2.8 percent). The
over-the-year decreases in employment occurred in Memphis, TN-MS-AR, and Portland-Vancouver-
Hillsboro, OR-WA (-1.9 percent each).

Metropolitan Division Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In January, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 10 metropolitan divisions and
was essentially unchanged in 28 divisions. The largest over-the-year increases in employment
among the metropolitan divisions occurred in New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ (+107,400),
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX (+49,800), and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL (+47,000). (See table 4.)

The largest over-the-year percentage increases in employment occurred in Miami-Miami Beach-
Kendall, FL (+3.7 percent), Camden, NJ (+2.5 percent), and Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield
Beach, FL (+2.3 percent).

_____________
The State Employment and Unemployment news release for February is scheduled to be released on
Friday, March 22, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news
release for February is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).


 _____________________________________________________________________________________
|										      |
|                 Changes to Local Area Unemployment Statistics Data		      |
|										      |
| Effective with the release of Regional and State Unemployment 2023 Annual Averages  |
| on March 1, 2024, the civilian labor force and unemployment data for census regions |
| and divisions and all states, the District of Columbia, and the modeled substate    |
| areas presented in tables 1 and 2 of this news release were revised from 2019–2023  |
| to incorporate updated inputs, new population controls, and reestimation of models. |
| The population controls continue to reflect a "blended base," with elements from    |
| three independent data sources for April 1, 2020.	                              |
|                                                                                     |
| Civilian labor force and unemployment data for the non-modeled metropolitan areas   |
| and divisions presented in tables 1 and 2 of this news release have been revised    |
| for 2023 to incorporate updated inputs and adjustment to new state control totals,  |
| though not yet finalized. Revised estimates for these areas and divisions will not  |
| be loaded into the BLS time-series database until finalized on April 19, 2024.      |
| Therefore, the database does not match the data for 2023 presented in this news     |
| release. For more information, see www.bls.gov/lau/launews1.htm.		      |
|_____________________________________________________________________________________|


 _____________________________________________________________________________________
|										      |
|                Changes to Current Employment Statistics (CES) Data	              |
|										      |
| Effective with this news release, all nonfarm payroll employment estimates for      |
| states and areas presented in tables 3 and 4 have been adjusted to 2023 benchmark   |
| levels. Not seasonally adjusted data beginning with April 2022 and seasonally	      |
| adjusted data beginning with January 2019 were subject to revision. Some not 	      |
| seasonally adjusted and seasonally adjusted series have been revised as far back    |
| as 1990. Information on annual benchmark processing is available at		      |
| www.bls.gov/web/laus/benchmark.htm. 						      |
| 										      |
| Also effective with this news release, the CES program implemented a new weight     |
| smoothing procedure for state and metropolitan area employment data. Background     |
| information on the new weight smoothing procedure is available on the BLS website   |
| at www.bls.gov/osmr/research-papers/2014/pdf/st140140.pdf. 			      |
|_____________________________________________________________________________________|



Last Modified Date: March 13, 2024