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Unemployment rates decreased in 333 metropolitan areas for year ending May 2016

July 05, 2016

Unemployment rates were lower in May 2016 than a year earlier in 333 of the 387 metropolitan areas, higher in 49 areas, and unchanged in 5 areas. Twenty-four areas had May 2016 jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent and 2 areas had rates of at least 10.0 percent. The lowest unemployment rates were in Ames, Iowa; Burlington-South Burlington, Vermont; and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 2.1 percent each. Yuma, Arizona, had the highest unemployment rate, 20.9 percent.  

Over-the-year change in unemployment rates for metropolitan areas, not seasonally adjusted, May 2015–May 2016



Bubble size indicates size of change. Green means increase in rate; red means decrease in rate; and gray means rate unchanged.
Hover over a bubble to see data.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For the year ended May 2016, El Centro, California, had the largest unemployment rate decrease (−4.1 percentage points). Nine other areas had rate declines of at least 2.0 percentage points. The largest rate increase occurred in Casper, Wyoming (2.7 percentage points).

A total of 187 areas had jobless rates above the U.S. rate of 4.5 percent, 185 areas had rates below it, and 15 areas had rates equal to that of the nation.

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 — May 2016” (HTML) (PDF).

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Unemployment rates decreased in 333 metropolitan areas for year ending May 2016 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2016/unemployment-rates-decreased-in-333-metropolitan-areas-for-year-ending-may-2016.htm (visited March 28, 2024).

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