192 metropolitan areas had jobless rates below U.S. rate of 4.5 percent in December 2016
February 14, 2017
In December 2016, a total of 192 areas had jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 4.5 percent, 186 areas had rates above it, and 9 areas had rates equal to that of the nation. In December, Ames, Iowa, and Burlington-South Burlington, Vermont, had the lowest unemployment rates, 2.1 percent each. El Centro, California, and Yuma, Arizona, had the highest unemployment rates, 18.8 percent and 15.3 percent, respectively.
Unemployment rates for metropolitan areas, December 2016
Metropolitan area
Unemployment rate(p)
Ames, IA
2.1%
Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA
2.1
Boulder, CO
2.2
Dover-Durham, NH-ME NECTA
2.3
Fort Collins, CO
2.3
Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA
2.3
Iowa City, IA
2.4
Manchester, NH NECTA
2.4
Sioux Falls, SD
2.4
Urban Honolulu, HI
2.4
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH NECTA
2.5
Logan, UT-ID
2.5
Provo-Orem, UT
2.5
Ann Arbor, MI
2.6
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
2.6
Greeley, CO
2.6
Portland-South Portland, ME NECTA
2.6
Columbia, MO
2.7
Fargo, ND-MN
2.7
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO
2.7
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI
2.7
Madison, WI
2.7
Salt Lake City, UT
2.7
Lincoln, NE
2.8
Ogden-Clearfield, UT
2.8
Columbus, IN
2.9
Idaho Falls, ID
2.9
Bismarck, ND
3.0
Fond du Lac, WI
3.0
Grand Forks, ND-MN
3.0
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
3.0
Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA
3.0
Manhattan, KS
3.0
Worcester, MA-CT NECTA
3.0
Elkhart-Goshen, IN
3.1
Mankato-North Mankato, MN
3.1
Sheboygan, WI
3.1
Amarillo, TX
3.2
Austin-Round Rock, TX
3.2
Charlottesville, VA
3.2
Colorado Springs, CO
3.2
Corvallis, OR
3.2
Danbury, CT NECTA
3.2
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
3.2
Jonesboro, AR
3.2
Lawrence, KS
3.2
Leominster-Gardner, MA NECTA
3.2
Lubbock, TX
3.2
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA
3.2
Rapid City, SD
3.2
St. George, UT
3.2
Wausau, WI
3.2
Appleton, WI
3.3
Bangor, ME NECTA
3.3
Jefferson City, MO
3.3
Lansing-East Lansing, MI
3.3
Lexington-Fayette, KY
3.3
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
3.3
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI
3.3
Pocatello, ID
3.3
Rochester, MN
3.3
Boise City, ID
3.4
California-Lexington Park, MD
3.4
College Station-Bryan, TX
3.4
Dubuque, IA
3.4
Green Bay, WI
3.4
Ithaca, NY
3.4
La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
3.4
Monroe, MI
3.4
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
3.4
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
3.4
Springfield, MA-CT NECTA
3.4
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
3.4
Winchester, VA-WV
3.4
Billings, MT
3.5
Cedar Rapids, IA
3.5
Charleston-North Charleston, SC
3.5
Grand Island, NE
3.5
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN
3.5
Springfield, MO
3.5
Trenton, NJ
3.5
Bowling Green, KY
3.6
Gettysburg, PA
3.6
Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC
3.6
Harrisonburg, VA
3.6
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN
3.6
Lewiston, ID-WA
3.6
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
3.6
Morgantown, WV
3.6
Pittsfield, MA NECTA
3.6
Sherman-Denison, TX
3.6
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
3.7
Eau Claire, WI
3.7
Fort Wayne, IN
3.7
Lancaster, PA
3.7
Missoula, MT
3.7
Roanoke, VA
3.7
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
3.7
Santa Rosa, CA
3.7
Abilene, TX
3.8
Barnstable Town, MA NECTA
3.8
Columbia, SC
3.8
Lebanon, PA
3.8
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
3.8
Midland, TX
3.8
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
3.8
State College, PA
3.8
Bloomington, IN
3.9
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT NECTA
3.9
Columbus, OH
3.9
Evansville, IN-KY
3.9
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV
3.9
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
3.9
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT NECTA
3.9
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC
3.9
Janesville-Beloit, WI
3.9
Joplin, MO
3.9
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
3.9
Kansas City, MO-KS
3.9
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
3.9
New Haven, CT NECTA
3.9
Richmond, VA
3.9
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA
3.9
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
3.9
Spartanburg, SC
3.9
St. Joseph, MO-KS
3.9
Staunton-Waynesboro, VA
3.9
Topeka, KS
3.9
Waco, TX
3.9
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
4.0
Asheville, NC
4.0
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
4.0
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
4.0
Dover, DE
4.0
Great Falls, MT
4.0
Oklahoma City, OK
4.0
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
4.0
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
4.0
St. Louis, MO-IL
4.0
York-Hanover, PA
4.0
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA
4.1
Cheyenne, WY
4.1
Midland, MI
4.1
New Bedford, MA NECTA
4.1
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
4.1
Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI NECTA
4.1
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
4.1
Pueblo, CO
4.1
Raleigh, NC
4.1
San Angelo, TX
4.1
Battle Creek, MI
4.2
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL
4.2
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
4.2
Gainesville, FL
4.2
Gainesville, GA
4.2
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
4.2
Prescott, AZ
4.2
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA NECTA
4.2
Reno, NV
4.2
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA
4.2
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
4.2
St. Cloud, MN
4.2
Wichita Falls, TX
4.2
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
4.3
Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
4.3
Fort Smith, AR-OK
4.3
Hot Springs, AR
4.3
Jackson, MI
4.3
Killeen-Temple, TX
4.3
Kingston, NY
4.3
Kokomo, IN
4.3
Lynchburg, VA
4.3
North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL
4.3
Owensboro, KY
4.3
Salem, OR
4.3
Tucson, AZ
4.3
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
4.3
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
4.3
Wichita, KS
4.3
Bend-Redmond, OR
4.4
Cape Girardeau, MO-IL
4.4
Cleveland, TN
4.4
Dayton, OH
4.4
Jacksonville, FL
4.4
Lake Charles, LA
4.4
Lawton, OK
4.4
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
4.4
Napa, CA
4.4
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
4.4
Racine, WI
4.4
Reading, PA
4.4
Tyler, TX
4.4
Burlington, NC
4.5
Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA
4.5
Eugene, OR
4.5
Grand Junction, CO
4.5
Laredo, TX
4.5
Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL
4.5
Saginaw, MI
4.5
Tallahassee, FL
4.5
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
4.5
Baton Rouge, LA
4.6
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
4.6
Florence, SC
4.6
Knoxville, TN
4.6
Muskegon, MI
4.6
Niles-Benton Harbor, MI
4.6
Texarkana, TX-AR
4.6
Winston-Salem, NC
4.6
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
4.7
Medford, OR
4.7
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL
4.7
Rochester, NY
4.7
Toledo, OH
4.7
Wilmington, NC
4.7
Albany, OR
4.8
Athens-Clarke County, GA
4.8
Coeur d'Alene, ID
4.8
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
4.8
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
4.8
Jackson, MS
4.8
Lima, OH
4.8
Muncie, IN
4.8
New Orleans-Metairie, LA
4.8
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
4.8
Springfield, OH
4.8
Tulsa, OK
4.8
Akron, OH
4.9
Altoona, PA
4.9
Bay City, MI
4.9
Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA
4.9
Champaign-Urbana, IL
4.9
Charleston, WV
4.9
El Paso, TX
4.9
Greensboro-High Point, NC
4.9
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
4.9
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
4.9
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
4.9
Santa Fe, NM
4.9
Savannah, GA
4.9
Springfield, IL
4.9
Syracuse, NY
4.9
Terre Haute, IN
4.9
Victoria, TX
4.9
Waterbury, CT NECTA
4.9
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
5.0
Auburn-Opelika, AL
5.0
Bloomington, IL
5.0
Chattanooga, TN-GA
5.0
Flint, MI
5.0
Hattiesburg, MS
5.0
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV
5.0
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV
5.0
Sumter, SC
5.0
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
5.1
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL
5.1
Elmira, NY
5.1
Huntsville, AL
5.1
Punta Gorda, FL
5.1
Utica-Rome, NY
5.1
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA
5.1
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC
5.2
Canton-Massillon, OH
5.2
Clarksville, TN-KY
5.2
Cleveland-Elyria, OH
5.2
Jackson, TN
5.2
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA
5.2
New Bern, NC
5.2
Panama City, FL
5.2
Pine Bluff, AR
5.2
Pittsburgh, PA
5.2
Port St. Lucie, FL
5.2
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
5.2
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
5.2
Valdosta, GA
5.2
Binghamton, NY
5.3
Carson City, NV
5.3
Greenville, NC
5.3
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
5.3
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
5.3
Memphis, TN-MS-AR
5.3
Morristown, TN
5.3
Birmingham-Hoover, AL
5.4
Brunswick, GA
5.4
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
5.4
Glens Falls, NY
5.4
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
5.4
Odessa, TX
5.4
Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ
5.4
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA
5.5
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL
5.5
Grants Pass, OR
5.5
Jacksonville, NC
5.5
Johnson City, TN
5.5
Mansfield, OH
5.5
Monroe, LA
5.5
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
5.5
Albuquerque, NM
5.6
Cumberland, MD-WV
5.6
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL
5.6
Duluth, MN-WI
5.6
Michigan City-La Porte, IN
5.6
Montgomery, AL
5.6
Warner Robins, GA
5.6
Anchorage, AK
5.7
Decatur, AL
5.7
Fairbanks, AK
5.7
Goldsboro, NC
5.7
Macon, GA
5.7
Ocala, FL
5.7
Olympia-Tumwater, WA
5.7
Rome, GA
5.7
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA
5.7
Wheeling, WV-OH
5.7
Carbondale-Marion, IL
5.8
East Stroudsburg, PA
5.8
Gadsden, AL
5.8
Houma-Thibodaux, LA
5.8
Longview, TX
5.8
Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL
5.8
Tuscaloosa, AL
5.8
Alexandria, LA
5.9
Dothan, AL
5.9
Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS
5.9
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC
5.9
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA
5.9
Beckley, WV
6.0
Bellingham, WA
6.0
Flagstaff, AZ
6.0
Hinesville, GA
6.0
Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ
6.0
Williamsport, PA
6.0
Albany, GA
6.1
Corpus Christi, TX
6.1
Dalton, GA
6.1
Erie, PA
6.1
Fayetteville, NC
6.1
Hammond, LA
6.1
Lafayette, LA
6.1
Salisbury, MD-DE
6.1
Chico, CA
6.3
Columbus, GA-AL
6.3
Johnstown, PA
6.3
Sebring, FL
6.3
Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH
6.3
Decatur, IL
6.4
Walla Walla, WA
6.4
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL
6.5
Kankakee, IL
6.5
Rockford, IL
6.5
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
6.5
Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
6.6
Casper, WY
6.6
Peoria, IL
6.6
The Villages, FL
6.6
Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ
6.6
Homosassa Springs, FL
6.7
Las Cruces, NM
6.7
Redding, CA
6.7
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA
6.8
Wenatchee, WA
6.8
Rocky Mount, NC
7.0
Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
7.0
Mobile, AL
7.1
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
7.2
Danville, IL
7.2
Longview, WA
7.2
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
7.3
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX
7.4
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
7.5
Kennewick-Richland, WA
7.8
Stockton-Lodi, CA
8.0
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
8.2
Farmington, NM
8.3
Modesto, CA
8.3
Madera, CA
9.4
Fresno, CA
9.5
Yuba City, CA
9.8
Bakersfield, CA
9.9
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
9.9
Salinas, CA
9.9
Yakima, WA
9.9
Merced, CA
10.8
Ocean City, NJ
11.5
Visalia-Porterville, CA
11.5
Yuma, AZ
15.3
El Centro, CA
18.8
Unemployment rates were lower in December than a year earlier in 236 of the 387 metropolitan areas, higher in 111 areas, and unchanged in 40 areas. Twenty-seven areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent and five areas had rates of at least 10.0 percent.
These data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program and are not seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent month are preliminary. To learn more, see “Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment — December 2016” (HTML ) (PDF ).
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