For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Wednesday, May 31, 2017 USDL-17-0731
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 2017
Unemployment rates were lower in April than a year earlier in 322 of the 388 metropolitan
areas, higher in 46 areas, and unchanged in 20 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported today. Fifty-six areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent and three areas
had rates of at least 10.0 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in
297 metropolitan areas, decreased in 81 areas, and was unchanged in 10 areas. The national
unemployment rate in April was 4.1 percent, not seasonally adjusted, down from 4.7 percent
a year earlier.
Metropolitan Area Unemployment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
In April, Ames, Iowa, and Boulder, Colo., had the lowest unemployment rates, 1.7 percent
and 1.8 percent, respectively. El Centro, Calif., had the highest unemployment rate, 19.2
percent. A total of 204 areas had April jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 4.1 percent,
173 areas had rates above it, and 11 areas had rates equal to that of the nation. (See table
1.)
El Centro, Calif., had the largest over-the-year unemployment rate decrease in April (-4.2
percentage points). Ninety-six other areas had rate declines of at least 1.0 percentage
point. The largest over-the-year rate increase occurred in Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas (+1.2
percentage points).
Of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more, Denver-
Aurora-Lakewood, Colo., had the lowest unemployment rate in April, 2.1 percent. Cleveland-
Elyria, Ohio, had the highest jobless rate among the large areas, 5.4 percent. Thirty-nine
large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, eight had increases, and four
had no change. The largest rate decreases occurred in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Ill.-Ind.-Wis.
(-1.7 percentage points), and Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, Ind. (-1.6 points). The largest
over-the-year rate increase was in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugarland, Texas (+0.5 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 April, San Francisco-
Redwood City-South San Francisco, Calif., and San Rafael, Calif., had the lowest unemployment
rates among the divisions, 2.6 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively. Philadelphia, Pa.,
had the highest division rate, 5.5 percent. (See table 2.)
In April, 26 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, 6 had
increases, and 6 had no change. The largest rate decline occurred in Gary, Ind. (-2.1
percentage points). The largest over-the-year rate increase occurred in Dallas-Plano-Irving,
Texas (+0.3 percentage point).
Metropolitan Area Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
In April, 297 metropolitan areas had over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment,
81 had decreases, and 10 had no change. The largest over-the-year employment increases occurred
in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas (+104,600), Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Ga. (+87,200),
and New York-Newark-Jersey City, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. (+83,100). The largest over-the-year percentage
gain in employment occurred in Sebring, Fla. (+5.8 percent), followed by Lake Charles, La. (+5.4
percent), and St. George, Utah (+5.2 percent). (See table 3.)
The largest over-the-year decrease in employment occurred in Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, Wis.
(-4,700), followed by Rochester, N.Y. (-4,500), and Houma-Thibodaux, La. (-4,400). The largest
over-the-year percentage decrease in employment occurred in Casper, Wyo. (-6.1 percent), followed
by Houma-Thibodaux, La. (-4.9 percent), and Sioux City, Iowa-Neb.-S.D. (-2.9 percent).
Over the year, nonfarm employment rose in 46 of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census
population of 1 million or more, fell in 4, and was unchanged in Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara
Falls, N.Y. The largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment in these large
metropolitan areas occurred in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Fla. (+3.6 percent), followed by
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, Tenn. (+3.5 percent), and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell,
Ga.; Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nev.; and Salt Lake City, Utah (+3.3 percent each). The largest
over-the-year decrease in employment occurred in Rochester, N.Y. (-0.8 percent), followed by
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, Wis., and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, Va.-N.C. (-0.5
percent each), and New Orleans-Metairie, La. (-0.2 percent).
Metropolitan Division Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
In April, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 33 of the 38 metropolitan divisions over the
year, fell in 4, and was unchanged in Peabody-Salem-Beverly, Mass. The largest over-the-year
increase in employment among the metropolitan divisions occurred in Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas
(+78,800), followed by New York-Jersey City-White Plains, N.Y.-N.J. (+76,000), and Seattle-Bellevue-
Everett, Wash. (+46,200). The largest over-the-year decrease in employment occurred in Newark,
N.J.-Pa. (-8,500), followed by Elgin, Ill. (-2,000), Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, Mass. (-400), and
Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, Mass.-N.H. (-200). (See table 4.)
The largest over-the-year percentage increases in employment among the metropolitan divisions
occurred in Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas, and Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, Fla.
(+3.2 percent each), followed by Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash. (+2.8 percent). The largest
over-the-year percentage decrease occurred in Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, Mass. (-0.9 percent),
followed by Elgin, Ill. (-0.8 percent), Newark, N.J.-Pa. (-0.7 percent), and Lawrence-Methuen
Town-Salem, Mass.-N.H. (-0.2 percent).
_____________
The State Employment and Unemployment news release for May is scheduled to be released
on Friday, June 16, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). The Metropolitan Area Employment and
Unemployment news release for May is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, June 28,
2017, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).
