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August 2011

Jobless rates in different types of labor market areas, 2000-2010

Maggie C. Woodward

Before the 2007-2009 recession, metropolitan areas had unemployment rates that were 0.4 percentage point lower, on average, than micropolitan area rates, which in turn were slightly lower than those of small labor market areas; during the recession, rates increased and nearly equalized, and in 2010 the three types of area had about the same rate.

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