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February 2019 jobless rates down over the year in 283 of 389 metropolitan areas
April 12, 2019
Unemployment rates were lower in February 2019 than a year earlier in 283 of the 389 metropolitan areas, higher in 67 areas, and unchanged in 39 areas. Ocean City, New Jersey, had the largest over-the-year unemployment rate decrease in February (−1.9 percentage points). An additional 30 areas had rate declines of at least 1.0 percentage point. The largest over-the-year rate increase occurred in Yakima, Washington (+1.5 percentage points).
Over-the-year change in unemployment rates for metropolitan areas, February 2019, not seasonally adjusted
Metropolitan area
Change
February 2019 unemployment rate
Ocean City, NJ
-1.9 percentage point(s)
13.0%
Elmira, NY
-1.7
4.5
Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
-1.7
6.6
New Bedford, MA NECTA
-1.6
5.2
Binghamton, NY
-1.4
5.1
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
-1.4
4.7
Muskegon, MI
-1.3
4.2
Glens Falls, NY
-1.3
5.2
Erie, PA
-1.3
4.5
Dover, DE
-1.2
3.6
Barnstable Town, MA NECTA
-1.2
5.4
Midland, MI
-1.2
4.0
Syracuse, NY
-1.2
4.6
Utica-Rome, NY
-1.2
4.9
Bay City, MI
-1.1
5.2
Flint, MI
-1.1
4.9
Niles-Benton Harbor, MI
-1.1
4.4
Kingston, NY
-1.1
4.0
Rochester, NY
-1.1
4.4
Cleveland-Elyria, OH
-1.1
4.8
East Stroudsburg, PA
-1.1
5.1
Sumter, SC
-1.1
3.6
Salisbury, MD-DE
-1.0
5.6
Owensboro, KY
-1.0
3.9
Pittsfield, MA NECTA
-1.0
4.4
Battle Creek, MI
-1.0
4.1
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
-1.0
3.6
Carson City, NV
-1.0
4.7
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
-1.0
6.9
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
-1.0
3.9
Casper, WY
-1.0
4.2
Waterbury, CT NECTA
-0.9
5.5
Leominster-Gardner, MA NECTA
-0.9
3.8
Springfield, MA-CT NECTA
-0.9
3.9
Jackson, MI
-0.9
3.9
Saginaw, MI
-0.9
5.1
Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ
-0.9
7.5
Ithaca, NY
-0.9
3.6
Rocky Mount, NC
-0.9
5.5
Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA
-0.9
4.6
Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA
-0.9
3.5
Johnstown, PA
-0.9
5.1
Williamsport, PA
-0.9
5.0
Lansing-East Lansing, MI
-0.8
3.3
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV
-0.8
4.2
Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH
-0.8
6.5
Pittsburgh, PA
-0.8
4.3
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA NECTA
-0.8
4.3
Columbia, SC
-0.8
3.0
Jackson, TN
-0.8
3.3
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX
-0.8
6.0
Cheyenne, WY
-0.8
3.4
Decatur, AL
-0.7
3.6
Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI NECTA
-0.7
4.4
Cedar Rapids, IA
-0.7
2.9
Dubuque, IA
-0.7
2.8
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
-0.7
2.7
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH NECTA
-0.7
2.8
Worcester, MA-CT NECTA
-0.7
3.6
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
-0.7
4.0
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
-0.7
2.9
Monroe, MI
-0.7
4.2
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
-0.7
4.4
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
-0.7
3.5
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
-0.7
4.0
Reading, PA
-0.7
4.1
State College, PA
-0.7
3.1
York-Hanover, PA
-0.7
3.7
Florence, SC
-0.7
3.6
Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC
-0.7
2.9
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC
-0.7
3.1
Spartanburg, SC
-0.7
2.9
Beckley, WV
-0.7
6.4
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
-0.7
5.8
Wheeling, WV-OH
-0.7
6.3
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL
-0.6
3.7
Tuscaloosa, AL
-0.6
3.6
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT NECTA
-0.6
4.4
New Haven, CT NECTA
-0.6
4.2
Columbus, GA-AL
-0.6
4.6
Hinesville, GA
-0.6
4.1
Iowa City, IA
-0.6
1.8
Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
-0.6
4.2
Lexington-Fayette, KY
-0.6
3.3
Cumberland, MD-WV
-0.6
6.0
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV
-0.6
4.6
Ann Arbor, MI
-0.6
2.7
Tulsa, OK
-0.6
3.5
Altoona, PA
-0.6
4.2
Gettysburg, PA
-0.6
3.3
Lancaster, PA
-0.6
3.3
Lebanon, PA
-0.6
3.7
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
-0.6
5.2
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC
-0.6
5.0
Clarksville, TN-KY
-0.6
3.8
Cleveland, TN
-0.6
3.2
Johnson City, TN
-0.6
3.5
Morristown, TN
-0.6
3.7
Green Bay, WI
-0.6
3.0
Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL
-0.5
4.7
Auburn-Opelika, AL
-0.5
3.5
Dothan, AL
-0.5
4.1
Gadsden, AL
-0.5
4.2
Huntsville, AL
-0.5
3.4
Montgomery, AL
-0.5
3.9
Yuma, AZ
-0.5
12.3
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT NECTA
-0.5
4.4
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
-0.5
3.9
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
-0.5
3.3
Port St. Lucie, FL
-0.5
3.9
Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL
-0.5
3.9
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC
-0.5
4.0
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
-0.5
4.3
Ames, IA
-0.5
1.4
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
-0.5
2.7
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
-0.5
2.8
Bowling Green, KY
-0.5
4.1
Lawton, OK
-0.5
3.8
Oklahoma City, OK
-0.5
3.2
Charleston-North Charleston, SC
-0.5
2.8
Knoxville, TN
-0.5
3.0
Memphis, TN-MS-AR
-0.5
3.8
Corpus Christi, TX
-0.5
5.0
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
-0.5
4.2
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
-0.5
6.6
Victoria, TX
-0.5
3.7
Burlington-South Burlington, VT NECTA
-0.5
1.8
Charleston, WV
-0.5
6.0
Janesville-Beloit, WI
-0.5
3.6
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI
-0.5
2.6
Racine, WI
-0.5
4.0
Sheboygan, WI
-0.5
2.5
Wausau, WI
-0.5
2.8
Birmingham-Hoover, AL
-0.4
3.6
Mobile, AL
-0.4
5.0
Anchorage, AK
-0.4
6.5
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
-0.4
3.9
Danbury, CT NECTA
-0.4
3.9
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL
-0.4
3.0
Ocala, FL
-0.4
4.2
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL
-0.4
3.4
The Villages, FL
-0.4
5.1
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
-0.4
3.8
Brunswick, GA
-0.4
3.9
Valdosta, GA
-0.4
4.0
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
-0.4
3.8
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
-0.4
4.1
California-Lexington Park, MD
-0.4
3.9
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
-0.4
4.3
Goldsboro, NC
-0.4
4.4
Lima, OH
-0.4
4.4
Mansfield, OH
-0.4
5.0
Enid, OK
-0.4
3.2
Chattanooga, TN-GA
-0.4
3.4
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA
-0.4
3.6
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
-0.4
2.4
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
-0.4
6.3
Longview, TX
-0.4
4.1
Odessa, TX
-0.4
2.7
Lynchburg, VA
-0.4
3.6
Roanoke, VA
-0.4
3.1
Longview, WA
-0.4
6.6
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
-0.4
6.5
Appleton, WI
-0.4
2.9
Fond du Lac, WI
-0.4
2.9
La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
-0.4
3.0
Madison, WI
-0.4
2.4
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
-0.4
3.2
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL
-0.3
4.6
Bakersfield, CA
-0.3
9.3
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL
-0.3
3.8
Gainesville, FL
-0.3
3.2
Homosassa Springs, FL
-0.3
5.3
Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL
-0.3
3.1
North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL
-0.3
3.3
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
-0.3
3.2
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
-0.3
3.5
Tallahassee, FL
-0.3
3.3
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
-0.3
3.4
Albany, GA
-0.3
4.7
Athens-Clarke County, GA
-0.3
3.8
Gainesville, GA
-0.3
3.2
Macon-Bibb County, GA
-0.3
4.3
Savannah, GA
-0.3
3.7
Warner Robins, GA
-0.3
4.0
Danville, IL
-0.3
6.3
Wichita, KS
-0.3
3.9
Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS
-0.3
4.9
Cape Girardeau, MO-IL
-0.3
3.4
Reno, NV
-0.3
3.7
Dover-Durham, NH-ME NECTA
-0.3
2.7
Manchester, NH NECTA
-0.3
2.7
Portsmouth, NH-ME NECTA
-0.3
2.5
Trenton, NJ
-0.3
4.1
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
-0.3
3.8
Bismarck, ND
-0.3
3.5
Fargo, ND-MN
-0.3
2.9
Canton-Massillon, OH
-0.3
5.2
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
-0.3
3.9
Toledo, OH
-0.3
4.9
Rapid City, SD
-0.3
3.6
Sioux Falls, SD
-0.3
2.8
Ogden-Clearfield, UT
-0.3
3.1
Salt Lake City, UT
-0.3
3.0
Richmond, VA
-0.3
3.3
Staunton-Waynesboro, VA
-0.3
2.9
Winchester, VA-WV
-0.3
3.2
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV
-0.3
6.9
Fort Smith, AR-OK
-0.2
4.4
Hot Springs, AR
-0.2
4.5
Fresno, CA
-0.2
8.9
Modesto, CA
-0.2
7.2
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
-0.2
4.3
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
-0.2
2.8
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
-0.2
3.5
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
-0.2
3.3
Jacksonville, FL
-0.2
3.4
Punta Gorda, FL
-0.2
3.9
Rome, GA
-0.2
4.4
Idaho Falls, ID
-0.2
3.0
Lafayette, LA
-0.2
4.4
Portland-South Portland, ME NECTA
-0.2
2.9
Duluth, MN-WI
-0.2
4.8
Joplin, MO
-0.2
3.1
Kansas City, MO-KS
-0.2
3.7
St. Louis, MO-IL
-0.2
3.8
Springfield, MO
-0.2
3.1
Missoula, MT
-0.2
4.0
Fayetteville, NC
-0.2
5.4
Greensboro-High Point, NC
-0.2
4.4
Greenville, NC
-0.2
4.4
Winston-Salem, NC
-0.2
3.9
Akron, OH
-0.2
4.9
Columbus, OH
-0.2
3.8
Dayton, OH
-0.2
4.3
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA
-0.2
6.0
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
-0.2
4.1
El Paso, TX
-0.2
4.3
Sherman-Denison, TX
-0.2
3.3
Logan, UT-ID
-0.2
2.7
Provo-Orem, UT
-0.2
2.8
St. George, UT
-0.2
3.4
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA
-0.2
3.3
Charlottesville, VA
-0.2
2.8
Harrisonburg, VA
-0.2
3.1
Morgantown, WV
-0.2
4.8
Eau Claire, WI
-0.2
3.5
Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ
-0.1
5.7
Jonesboro, AR
-0.1
3.6
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
-0.1
2.8
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
-0.1
4.8
Visalia-Porterville, CA
-0.1
11.3
Sebring, FL
-0.1
4.8
Boise City, ID
-0.1
3.3
Pocatello, ID
-0.1
3.4
Houma-Thibodaux, LA
-0.1
4.4
Bangor, ME NECTA
-0.1
3.9
Columbia, MO
-0.1
2.6
Great Falls, MT
-0.1
4.3
Grand Island, NE
-0.1
3.3
Lincoln, NE
-0.1
2.7
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA
-0.1
3.2
Santa Fe, NM
-0.1
4.3
Asheville, NC
-0.1
3.4
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
-0.1
3.7
Jacksonville, NC
-0.1
5.0
Raleigh, NC
-0.1
3.7
Wilmington, NC
-0.1
4.0
Grand Forks, ND-MN
-0.1
3.2
Medford, OR
-0.1
5.4
Abilene, TX
-0.1
3.4
Austin-Round Rock, TX
-0.1
3.0
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
-0.1
3.6
Lubbock, TX
-0.1
3.1
Midland, TX
-0.1
2.2
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
-0.1
3.4
Tyler, TX
-0.1
3.7
Waco, TX
-0.1
3.7
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
-0.1
3.6
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA
-0.1
5.3
Olympia-Tumwater, WA
-0.1
5.5
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
-0.1
4.1
Walla Walla, WA
-0.1
6.1
Fairbanks, AK
0.0
6.7
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
0.0
4.2
Prescott, AZ
0.0
4.5
Tucson, AZ
0.0
4.5
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO
0.0
3.1
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
0.0
3.9
Madera, CA
0.0
8.2
Napa, CA
0.0
3.4
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
0.0
4.0
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
0.0
4.1
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA
0.0
3.5
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA
0.0
3.2
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
0.0
6.7
Stockton-Lodi, CA
0.0
7.0
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA
0.0
4.4
Dalton, GA
0.0
5.4
Lewiston, ID-WA
0.0
4.1
Carbondale-Marion, IL
0.0
5.0
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL
0.0
4.8
Lawrence, KS
0.0
3.4
Alexandria, LA
0.0
4.8
New Orleans-Metairie, LA
0.0
4.1
Lewiston-Auburn, ME NECTA
0.0
3.6
Rochester, MN
0.0
3.4
Hattiesburg, MS
0.0
4.2
Jackson, MS
0.0
4.2
Jefferson City, MO
0.0
3.3
St. Joseph, MO-KS
0.0
3.6
Billings, MT
0.0
4.0
Burlington, NC
0.0
4.0
New Bern, NC
0.0
4.5
Springfield, OH
0.0
4.6
Corvallis, OR
0.0
3.4
Eugene, OR
0.0
4.9
Salem, OR
0.0
4.8
Amarillo, TX
0.0
2.9
College Station-Bryan, TX
0.0
3.0
San Angelo, TX
0.0
3.3
Wichita Falls, TX
0.0
3.5
Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ
0.1
5.8
Merced, CA
0.1
10.7
Santa Rosa, CA
0.1
3.1
Yuba City, CA
0.1
9.0
Boulder, CO
0.1
2.9
Grand Junction, CO
0.1
4.6
Coeur d'Alene, ID
0.1
5.0
Twin Falls, ID
0.1
3.4
Baton Rouge, LA
0.1
4.0
Lake Charles, LA
0.1
3.5
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA
0.1
4.7
Mankato-North Mankato, MN
0.1
3.2
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
0.1
3.4
St. Cloud, MN
0.1
4.4
Albuquerque, NM
0.1
4.8
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
0.1
4.0
Albany, OR
0.1
5.4
Bend-Redmond, OR
0.1
5.2
Grants Pass, OR
0.1
6.4
Killeen-Temple, TX
0.1
4.3
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
0.2
3.3
Greeley, CO
0.2
3.2
Columbus, IN
0.2
3.2
Evansville, IN-KY
0.2
3.7
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN
0.2
3.7
Muncie, IN
0.2
4.7
Topeka, KS
0.2
4.1
Hammond, LA
0.2
5.0
Monroe, LA
0.2
5.0
Farmington, NM
0.2
6.1
Las Cruces, NM
0.2
6.3
Laredo, TX
0.2
4.2
Flagstaff, AZ
0.3
6.1
Chico, CA
0.3
6.1
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
0.3
9.9
Redding, CA
0.3
6.2
Salinas, CA
0.3
10.4
Fort Collins, CO
0.3
3.1
Urban Honolulu, HI
0.3
2.5
Peoria, IL
0.3
6.0
Fort Wayne, IN
0.3
3.7
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN
0.3
3.7
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
0.3
4.3
Manhattan, KS
0.3
3.3
Bellingham, WA
0.3
5.9
Wenatchee, WA
0.3
7.1
Pine Bluff, AR
0.4
6.0
Colorado Springs, CO
0.4
4.2
Champaign-Urbana, IL
0.4
4.8
Texarkana, TX-AR
0.4
5.3
Kennewick-Richland, WA
0.4
7.5
Pueblo, CO
0.5
5.2
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI
0.5
2.8
Bloomington, IL
0.5
4.8
Decatur, IL
0.5
6.2
Springfield, IL
0.5
5.1
Bloomington, IN
0.5
4.4
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA
0.5
6.8
Kankakee, IL
0.6
6.7
Kokomo, IN
0.6
4.5
Michigan City-La Porte, IN
0.6
5.9
Terre Haute, IN
0.6
5.5
Rockford, IL
0.7
6.4
El Centro, CA
0.9
17.4
Elkhart-Goshen, IN
0.9
3.4
Panama City, FL
1.0
5.1
Yakima, WA
1.5
9.9
Of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more, 44 large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, 3 had increases, and 4 had no change. The largest rate decrease occurred in Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, New York (−1.4 percentage points). No large area had an unemployment rate increase of more than 0.3 percentage point.
United States Department of Labor
