Unemployment rates decline in over two-thirds of U.S. metro areas for year ending March 2016
May 06, 2016
Unemployment rates were lower in March 2016 than a year earlier in 270 of the 387 metropolitan areas, higher in 98 areas, and unchanged in 19 areas. Ten areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent, and 11 areas had rates of at least 10.0 percent. El Centro, California, and Yuma, Arizona, had the largest over-the-year unemployment rate decreases (–4.1 percentage points each), while Casper, Wyoming (+2.6 percentage points), and Odessa, Texas (+2.2 points), had the largest increases. The national unemployment rate was 5.1 percent in March 2016, down from 5.6 percent a year earlier.
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Metropolitan area unemployment rates, not seasonally adjusted, March 2016
Metropolitan area
March 2016(p)
Abilene, TX
3.8
Akron, OH
5.6
Albany, GA
6.5
Albany, OR
6.0
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
4.3
Albuquerque, NM
5.4
Alexandria, LA
6.2
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
5.4
Altoona, PA
5.4
Amarillo, TX
3.0
Ames, IA
2.4
Anchorage, AK
6.4
Ann Arbor, MI
3.0
Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
7.0
Appleton, WI
4.3
Asheville, NC
4.4
Athens-Clarke County, GA
4.9
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
5.2
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
7.8
Auburn-Opelika, AL
5.4
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC
5.9
Austin-Round Rock, TX
3.1
Bakersfield, CA
11.6
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
4.9
Bangor, ME NECTA
4.1
Barnstable Town, MA NECTA
6.8
Baton Rouge, LA
5.0
Battle Creek, MI
4.6
Bay City, MI
5.6
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX
6.4
Beckley, WV
8.9
Bellingham, WA
6.4
Bend-Redmond, OR
5.1
Billings, MT
4.0
Binghamton, NY
5.8
Birmingham-Hoover, AL
5.8
Bismarck, ND
3.5
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA
4.5
Bloomington, IL
6.0
Bloomington, IN
5.6
Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA
5.7
Boise City, ID
3.8
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH NECTA
4.0
Boulder, CO
2.9
Bowling Green, KY
5.0
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA
5.7
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT NECTA
6.0
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
6.9
Brunswick, GA
5.8
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
5.3
Burlington, NC
5.0
Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA
2.6
California-Lexington Park, MD
4.5
Canton-Massillon, OH
6.3
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
4.3
Cape Girardeau, MO-IL
4.8
Carbondale-Marion, IL
7.0
Carson City, NV
6.8
Casper, WY
7.3
Cedar Rapids, IA
4.4
Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA
5.1
Champaign-Urbana, IL
5.8
Charleston, WV
6.8
Charleston-North Charleston, SC
4.9
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
5.1
Charlottesville, VA
3.5
Chattanooga, TN-GA
4.4
Cheyenne, WY
4.4
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
6.6
Chico, CA
7.2
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
4.8
Clarksville, TN-KY
4.9
Cleveland, TN
4.0
Cleveland-Elyria, OH
5.5
Coeur d'Alene, ID
5.6
College Station-Bryan, TX
3.4
Colorado Springs, CO
4.0
Columbia, MO
3.3
Columbia, SC
5.2
Columbus, GA-AL
6.6
Columbus, IN
4.2
Columbus, OH
4.4
Corpus Christi, TX
5.6
Corvallis, OR
3.7
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL
4.1
Cumberland, MD-WV
7.2
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
3.8
Dalton, GA
6.8
Danbury, CT NECTA
5.2
Danville, IL
8.4
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL
5.6
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL
6.5
Dayton, OH
5.0
Decatur, AL
6.2
Decatur, IL
7.9
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL
4.9
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
3.3
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
3.8
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
5.6
Dothan, AL
6.1
Dover, DE
4.7
Dover-Durham, NH-ME NECTA
2.7
Dubuque, IA
4.4
Duluth, MN-WI
7.1
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
4.7
East Stroudsburg, PA
6.4
Eau Claire, WI
4.9
El Centro, CA
18.6
El Paso, TX
4.8
Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
5.3
Elkhart-Goshen, IN
4.3
Elmira, NY
6.0
Erie, PA
6.9
Eugene, OR
5.1
Evansville, IN-KY
5.0
Fairbanks, AK
6.3
Fargo, ND-MN
3.2
Farmington, NM
7.8
Fayetteville, NC
6.7
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO
2.9
Flagstaff, AZ
5.6
Flint, MI
5.5
Florence, SC
6.4
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL
6.8
Fond du Lac, WI
4.3
Fort Collins, CO
3.1
Fort Smith, AR-OK
4.6
Fort Wayne, IN
5.2
Fresno, CA
10.6
Gadsden, AL
6.2
Gainesville, FL
4.0
Gainesville, GA
4.5
Gettysburg, PA
4.0
Glens Falls, NY
6.0
Goldsboro, NC
5.8
Grand Forks, ND-MN
3.6
Grand Island, NE
4.9
Grand Junction, CO
5.9
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
3.4
Grants Pass, OR
6.8
Great Falls, MT
4.6
Greeley, CO
3.7
Green Bay, WI
4.7
Greensboro-High Point, NC
5.5
Greenville, NC
5.6
Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC
5.0
Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS
5.7
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV
5.3
Hammond, LA
6.8
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
11.4
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
4.4
Harrisonburg, VA
4.2
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT NECTA
6.2
Hattiesburg, MS
4.9
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
5.2
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC
5.2
Hinesville, GA
5.9
Homosassa Springs, FL
6.5
Hot Springs, AR
4.2
Houma-Thibodaux, LA
6.7
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
4.9
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
7.0
Huntsville, AL
5.4
Idaho Falls, ID
3.4
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN
5.0
Iowa City, IA
2.8
Ithaca, NY
3.5
Jackson, MI
4.9
Jackson, MS
4.7
Jackson, TN
4.4
Jacksonville, FL
4.4
Jacksonville, NC
5.9
Janesville-Beloit, WI
5.3
Jefferson City, MO
4.0
Johnson City, TN
4.6
Johnstown, PA
7.1
Jonesboro, AR
3.5
Joplin, MO
4.3
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI
3.4
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
4.2
Kankakee, IL
7.7
Kansas City, MO-KS
4.4
Kennewick-Richland, WA
7.4
Killeen-Temple, TX
4.4
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA
4.6
Kingston, NY
4.5
Knoxville, TN
3.9
Kokomo, IN
6.8
La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
4.6
Lafayette, LA
7.1
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN
4.8
Lake Charles, LA
5.0
Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ
6.8
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
5.2
Lancaster, PA
4.2
Lansing-East Lansing, MI
3.8
Laredo, TX
4.9
Las Cruces, NM
7.0
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV
6.0
Lawrence, KS
3.4
Lawton, OK
4.5
Lebanon, PA
4.6
Leominster-Gardner, MA NECTA
5.6
Lewiston, ID-WA
4.3
Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA
3.8
Lexington-Fayette, KY
4.3
Lima, OH
5.0
Lincoln, NE
2.8
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
3.6
Logan, UT-ID
3.4
Longview, TX
5.4
Longview, WA
7.5
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
4.8
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
5.0
Lubbock, TX
3.3
Lynchburg, VA
4.6
Macon, GA
6.0
Madera, CA
10.5
Madison, WI
3.6
Manchester, NH NECTA
2.8
Manhattan, KS
3.0
Mankato-North Mankato, MN
3.5
Mansfield, OH
6.3
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
7.6
Medford, OR
6.0
Memphis, TN-MS-AR
4.7
Merced, CA
12.5
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
4.9
Michigan City-La Porte, IN
7.7
Midland, MI
4.8
Midland, TX
4.3
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
5.0
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
4.0
Missoula, MT
4.5
Mobile, AL
7.0
Modesto, CA
9.6
Monroe, LA
6.2
Monroe, MI
4.0
Montgomery, AL
5.9
Morgantown, WV
5.4
Morristown, TN
4.6
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA
7.2
Muncie, IN
6.3
Muskegon, MI
5.2
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC
6.7
Napa, CA
4.4
Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL
4.3
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
3.2
New Bedford, MA NECTA
7.2
New Bern, NC
5.6
New Haven, CT NECTA
6.1
New Orleans-Metairie, LA
5.6
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
5.0
Niles-Benton Harbor, MI
4.8
North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL
4.3
Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI NECTA
6.3
Ocala, FL
5.5
Ocean City, NJ
13.3
Odessa, TX
6.1
Ogden-Clearfield, UT
3.7
Oklahoma City, OK
3.9
Olympia-Tumwater, WA
6.1
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA
3.5
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
4.3
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI
4.3
Owensboro, KY
5.2
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
5.0
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
5.2
Panama City, FL
4.7
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV
6.6
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL
4.6
Peoria, IL
7.7
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
5.0
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
4.5
Pine Bluff, AR
5.4
Pittsburgh, PA
5.9
Pittsfield, MA NECTA
5.7
Pocatello, ID
3.6
Port St. Lucie, FL
5.0
Portland-South Portland, ME NECTA
3.1
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
4.6
Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA
2.7
Prescott, AZ
4.8
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA NECTA
6.0
Provo-Orem, UT
3.3
Pueblo, CO
5.0
Punta Gorda, FL
5.1
Racine, WI
6.1
Raleigh, NC
4.6
Rapid City, SD
3.1
Reading, PA
5.0
Redding, CA
8.0
Reno, NV
5.5
Richmond, VA
4.2
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
5.8
Roanoke, VA
4.0
Rochester, MN
3.9
Rochester, NY
4.9
Rockford, IL
7.7
Rocky Mount, NC
7.6
Rome, GA
6.0
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
5.4
Saginaw, MI
5.3
Salem, OR
5.1
Salinas, CA
10.5
Salisbury, MD-DE
6.7
Salt Lake City, UT
3.6
San Angelo, TX
4.4
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
3.7
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA
4.7
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
3.8
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
3.9
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA
4.3
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
8.8
Santa Fe, NM
4.9
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
5.3
Santa Rosa, CA
4.1
Savannah, GA
5.1
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
6.4
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
5.1
Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL
5.5
Sebring, FL
6.0
Sheboygan, WI
4.1
Sherman-Denison, TX
3.8
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA
6.5
Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ
6.3
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
3.8
Sioux Falls, SD
2.4
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
5.3
Spartanburg, SC
5.5
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
7.1
Springfield, IL
6.0
Springfield, MA-CT NECTA
5.6
Springfield, MO
4.2
Springfield, OH
5.6
St. Cloud, MN
4.8
St. George, UT
4.1
St. Joseph, MO-KS
4.3
St. Louis, MO-IL
5.1
State College, PA
4.1
Staunton-Waynesboro, VA
4.0
Stockton-Lodi, CA
8.8
Sumter, SC
6.6
Syracuse, NY
5.1
Tallahassee, FL
4.4
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
4.4
Terre Haute, IN
6.7
Texarkana, TX-AR
4.3
The Villages, FL
6.7
Toledo, OH
5.4
Topeka, KS
4.1
Trenton, NJ
4.3
Tucson, AZ
4.7
Tulsa, OK
4.6
Tuscaloosa, AL
5.9
Tyler, TX
4.3
Urban Honolulu, HI
3.0
Utica-Rome, NY
5.4
Valdosta, GA
5.2
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA
5.7
Victoria, TX
4.8
Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ
8.1
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
4.8
Visalia-Porterville, CA
12.4
Waco, TX
3.9
Walla Walla, WA
6.1
Warner Robins, GA
5.8
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
4.1
Waterbury, CT NECTA
7.7
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
4.9
Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
7.3
Wausau, WI
4.5
Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH
9.2
Wenatchee, WA
7.6
Wheeling, WV-OH
8.8
Wichita Falls, TX
4.5
Wichita, KS
4.5
Williamsport, PA
7.2
Wilmington, NC
5.2
Winchester, VA-WV
4.0
Winston-Salem, NC
5.1
Worcester, MA-CT NECTA
5.0
Yakima, WA
9.1
York-Hanover, PA
4.6
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA
7.0
Yuba City, CA
11.0
Yuma, AZ
13.8
Ames, Iowa, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, had the lowest unemployment rates in March 2016 (2.4 percent each). El Centro, California, had the highest unemployment rate (18.6 percent). A total of 195 areas had March 2016 jobless rates that were below the U.S. rate of 5.1 percent, 181 areas had rates above it, and 11 areas had rates equal to that of the nation.
Of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more, Austin-Round Rock, Texas, had the lowest unemployment rate in March, 3.1 percent. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Illinois-Indiana-Wisconsin, had the highest rate among the large areas, 6.6 percent. Thirty-six large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, 11 had increases, and 4 had no change. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California, and Memphis, Tennessee-Mississippi-Arkansas, had the largest over-the-year rate decreases (–1.7 percentage points each) among the large areas. The largest over-the-year rate increases among the large areas occurred in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin and in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas (+0.6 percentage point each).
These data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program and are not seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent month are preliminary and subject to revision. To learn more, see “Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment — March 2016” (HTML ) (PDF ).
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