Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, September 28, 2022 		      USDL-22-1929

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 2022


Unemployment rates were lower in August than a year earlier in 384 of the 389 metropolitan
areas and higher in 5 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. A total
of 90 areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent and 2 areas had rates of at least
10.0 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 101 metropolitan areas
and was essentially unchanged in 288 areas. The national unemployment rate in August was 
3.8 percent, not seasonally adjusted, down from 5.3 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 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, the following three areas had the lowest unemployment rates, 1.7 percent each:
Burlington-South Burlington, VT; Fargo, ND-MN; and Mankato-North Mankato, MN. Yuma, AZ,
had the highest rate, 21.0 percent. A total of 209 areas had August jobless rates below 
the U.S. rate of 3.8 percent, 161 areas had rates above it, and 19 areas had rates equal
to that of the nation. (See table 1.)

The largest over-the-year unemployment rate decrease in August occurred in Atlantic 
City-Hammonton, NJ (-4.2 percentage points). Rates fell over the year by at least 3.0 
percentage points in an additional 10 areas. Yuma, AZ, had the largest over-the-year rate
increase in August (+4.4 percentage points).

Of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more, 
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, and Salt Lake City, UT, had the lowest jobless
rates, 2.1 percent each. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV, had the highest rate, 5.7
percent. All 51 large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, the largest
of which was in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (-3.7 percentage points). The smallest
rate decreases occurred in Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN, and Oklahoma City, OK (-0.3
percentage point each).

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, Miami-Miami
Beach-Kendall, FL, and San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA, had the lowest
division unemployment rates, 2.3 percent each. Philadelphia, PA, had the highest rate 
among the divisions, 5.9 percent. (See table 2.)

In August, all 38 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases. 
Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, MI, had the largest rate decline (-4.1 percentage points), 
closely followed by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA (-4.0 points). The smallest rate 
decline occurred in Gary, IN (-0.2 percentage point).

Metropolitan Area Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In August, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 101 metropolitan areas 
and was essentially unchanged in 288 areas. The largest over-the-year employment 
increases occurred in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA (+497,800), Dallas-Fort 
Worth-Arlington, TX (+260,700), and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI (+201,200). The 
largest over-the-year percentage gains in employment occurred in Atlantic City-Hammonton,
NJ (+10.1 percent), Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX (+6.7 percent), and Houston-The 
Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX (+6.2 percent). (See table 3.)

Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 45 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census 
population of 1 million or more, while employment was essentially unchanged in 6 areas. 
The largest over-the-year percentage increases in employment in these large metropolitan 
areas occurred in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX (+6.7 percent), Houston-The Woodlands-
Sugar Land, TX (+6.2 percent), and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL; Portland-
Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA; and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA (+5.7 percent each).

Metropolitan Division Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In August, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 27 metropolitan 
divisions and was essentially unchanged in 11 divisions. The largest over-the-year 
increases in employment among the metropolitan divisions occurred in New York-Jersey 
City-White Plains, NY-NJ (+386,800), Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX (+197,500), and Chicago-
Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL (+172,600). (See table 4.)

The largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment occurred in Camden, NJ (+7.5 
percent), followed by Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX (+7.1 percent), and Miami-Miami Beach-
Kendall, FL (+6.8 percent).

_____________
The State Employment and Unemployment news release for September is scheduled to be 
released on Friday, October 21, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The Metropolitan Area 
Employment and Unemployment news release for September is scheduled to be released on
Wednesday, November 2, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).