BEA's monthly metropolitan area employment and unemployment summary - November 2016

Unemployment rates were lower in November than a year earlier in 271 of the 387 metropolitan areas, higher in 90 areas, and unchanged in 26 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Thirty-six areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent and four areas had rates of at least 10.0 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 303 metropolitan areas, decreased in 73 areas, and was unchanged in 11 areas. The national unemployment rate in November was 4.4 percent, not seasonally adjusted, down from 4.8 percent a year earlier.

Metropolitan Area Unemployment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In November, the lowest unemployment rate was in Ames, Iowa, 1.7 percent. El Centro, Calif., and Yuma, Ariz., had the highest unemployment rates, 20.3 percent and 16.7 percent, respectively. A total of 196 areas had November jobless rates above the U.S. rate of 4.4 percent, 180 areas had rates below it, and 11 areas had rates equal to that of the nation. (See table 1.)

New Bedford, Mass., had the largest over-the-year unemployment rate decrease in November (-2.8 percentage points). Fifty-eight other areas had rate declines of at least 1.0 percentage point. The largest over-the-year rate increase occurred in Erie, Pa. (+1.2 percentage points).

Of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more, Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, Mass.- N.H., and Salt Lake City, Utah, had the lowest unemployment rates in November, 2.4 percent each. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif., had the highest rate among the large areas, 5.5 percent. Thirty-nine large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, eight had increases, and four had no change. The largest rate decrease occurred in Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, Mass.-N.H. (-1.7 percentage points). The largest over-the-year rate increases were in Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio; Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Pittsburgh, Pa. (+0.6 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 November, Framingham, Mass., had the lowest unemployment rate among the divisions, 2.1 percent. Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, Mich., had the highest division rate, 6.1 percent.

In November, 31 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, 4 had increases, and 3 had no change. The largest rate decline occurred in Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, Mass.-N.H. (-2.4 percentage points). The largest over-the-year rate increase occurred in Philadelphia, Pa. (+0.6 percentage point).

Metropolitan Area Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In November, 303 metropolitan areas had over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment, 73 had decreases, and 11 had no change. The largest over-the-year employment increases occurred in New York-Newark-Jersey City, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. (+117,300), Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas (+114,800), and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, Calif. (+103,600). The largest over-the-year percentage gain in employment occurred in Cleveland, Tenn. (+7.4 percent), followed by Ann Arbor, Mich. (+5.6 percent), and Bend-Redmond, Ore. (+4.7 percent).

The largest over-the-year decreases in employment occurred in Lafayette, La. (-7,200), Oklahoma City, Okla. (-5,900), and Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Conn. (-3,500). The largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment occurred in Casper, Wyo. (-5.8 percent), followed by Carbondale-Marion, Ill. (-4.0 percent), and Lafayette, La. (-3.4 percent).

Over the year, nonfarm employment rose in 48 of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more, and fell in Oklahoma City, Okla. (-0.9 percent), and Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, Wis., and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, Va.-N.C. (-0.2 percent each). The largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment in these large metropolitan areas occurred in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Fla. (+4.5 percent), followed by Jacksonville, Fla. (+3.6 percent), and Salt Lake City, Utah, and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Wash. (+3.5 percent each).

Metropolitan Division Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In November, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 37 of the 38 metropolitan divisions over the year, and decreased in Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, Mass.-N.H. (-700, or -0.8 percent). The largest over-the-year increase in employment among the metropolitan divisions occurred in New York-Jersey City-White Plains, N.Y.-N.J. (+93,000), followed by Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas (+89,700), and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif. (+65,300). (See table 4.)

The largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment among the metropolitan divisions occurred in Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, Fla. (+3.8 percent), followed by San Rafael, Calif. (+3.7 percent), and Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas; Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury Town, Mass.-N.H.; and Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash. (+3.6 percent each).

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