Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, May 28, 2025 		                       USDL-25-0904

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 -- APRIL 2025
                  

Unemployment rates were higher in April than a year earlier in 286 of the 387 metropolitan
areas, lower in 72 areas, and unchanged in 29 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 
reported today. A total of 77 areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent and 8 areas 
had rates of at least 8.0 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 
20 metropolitan areas, decreased in 1 area, and was essentially unchanged in 366 areas. 
The national unemployment rate in April was 3.9 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 
3.5 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 April, Rapid City, SD, and Sioux Falls, SD-MN, had the lowest unemployment rates, 1.8 
percent each. El Centro, CA, had the highest rate, 16.0 percent. A total of 245 areas had 
April jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 3.9 percent, 128 areas had rates above it, and 
14 areas had rates equal to that of the nation. (See table 1.)

The largest over-the-year unemployment rate increase in April occurred in Eagle Pass, TX 
(+2.6 percentage points). Forty-three other areas had rate increases of at least 1.0 
percentage point. Kankakee, IL, and Rockford, IL, had the largest over-the-year rate 
decreases in April (-1.4 percentage points each). Three 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, Oklahoma 
City, OK, had the lowest jobless rate in April, 2.3 percent. Fresno, CA, had the highest 
rate, 8.3 percent. Forty-seven large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate increases, 
six had decreases, and three had no change. The largest rate increases occurred in 
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH (+1.1 percentage points), and Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood,
MI (+1.0 point). The largest jobless rate decline occurred in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood,
IN (-0.6 percentage point). 

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 April, Miami-Miami 
Beach-Kendall, FL, and Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY, had the lowest division 
unemployment rates, 2.7 percent each. Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg, IL, and 
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA, had the highest rates among the divisions, 5.1 percent 
each. (See table 2.)

In April, 30 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate increases, 4 had 
decreases, and 3 had no change. The largest increase occurred in Boston, MA (+1.2 percentage
points). The largest unemployment rate declines from April 2024 occurred in Elgin, IL, and 
Lake County, IL (-1.3 percentage points each).

Metropolitan Area Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In April 2025, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 20 metropolitan areas, 
decreased in 1 area, and was essentially unchanged in 366 areas. The largest over-the-year
employment increases occurred in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (+96,100), Dallas-Fort
Worth-Arlington, TX (+52,100), and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (+35,800). 
The largest over-the-year percentage gains in employment occurred in Rochester, MN (+5.1 
percent), Barnstable Town, MA (+4.9 percent), and Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, 
SC (+3.7 percent). Employment decreased over the year in Bozeman, MT (-3,500, or -4.6 
percent). (See table 3.)

Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 10 metropolitan areas with a 2020 Census 
population of 1 million or more and was essentially unchanged in 46 areas. The largest 
over-the-year percentage increases in employment in these large metropolitan areas occurred
in Urban Honolulu, HI (+2.7 percent), and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (+2.2 percent), 
followed by Salt Lake City-Murray, UT, and San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX (+2.0 percent each).

Metropolitan Division Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In April, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 1 metropolitan division,
New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ (+81,000, or +1.3 percent), and was essentially
unchanged in 36 divisions. (See table 4.)

_____________
The State Employment and Unemployment news release for May is scheduled to be released 
on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The Metropolitan Area Employment and 
Unemployment news release for May is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, July 2, 
2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).