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Employment up at least 5.0 percent in three metro areas from July 2022 to July 2023
September 08, 2023
From July 2022 to July 2023, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 79 metropolitan areas, decreased in 1 area, and was essentially unchanged in 309 areas. Midland, Texas, had the largest significant percentage gain in employment (6.3 percent), followed by Las Cruces, New Mexico (5.4 percent), and Charleston-North Charleston, South Carolina (5.0 percent). The lone over-the-year decrease occurred in Elkhart-Goshen, Indiana, at 4.3 percent (or −6,300 jobs).
Statistically significant over-the-year percent changes in metropolitan area employment, selected areas, July 2022 to July 2023
Metropolitan area
Percent change
July 2022 employment
July 2023 employment
Change
Midland, TX
6.3
113,500
120,600
7,100
Las Cruces, NM
5.4
72,700
76,600
3,900
Charleston-North Charleston, SC
5.0
398,700
418,700
20,000
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA
4.9
118,100
123,900
5,800
Ann Arbor, MI
4.6
220,100
230,200
10,100
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL
4.5
214,900
224,600
9,700
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV
4.5
1,078,100
1,127,000
48,900
Waco, TX
4.5
130,300
136,200
5,900
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
4.4
4,098,000
4,276,600
178,600
Manchester, NH
4.4
111,600
116,500
4,900
Olympia-Tumwater, WA
4.4
126,000
131,600
5,600
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
4.3
284,900
297,100
12,200
Salinas, CA
4.3
143,500
149,600
6,100
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
4.2
1,305,900
1,361,400
55,500
Idaho Falls, ID
4.2
79,500
82,800
3,300
Jacksonville, FL
4.2
769,400
802,000
32,600
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO
4.1
292,600
304,500
11,900
Anchorage, AK
4.0
176,500
183,600
7,100
Boise City, ID
4.0
384,400
399,600
15,200
Elkhart-Goshen, IN
-4.3
146,600
140,300
-6,300
In July 2023, a total of 233 areas had jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 3.8 percent, 138 areas had rates above it, and 18 areas had rates equal to that of the nation. The lowest unemployment rates were in Sioux Falls, South Dakota (1.4 percent), Burlington-South Burlington, Vermont (1.5 percent), and Rapid City, South Dakota (1.6 percent).
Highest and lowest metropolitan area unemployment rates, July 2023
Metropolitan area
July 2022 unemployment rate
July 2023 unemployment rate
Percentage point change
El Centro, CA
15.2
17.7
2.5
Yuma, AZ
15.3
16.7
1.4
Visalia-Porterville, CA
8.0
9.8
1.8
Merced, CA
7.1
8.6
1.5
Bakersfield, CA
6.8
8.4
1.6
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
6.4
7.9
1.5
Madera, CA
5.9
7.2
1.3
Fresno, CA
6.0
7.1
1.1
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
6.8
7.0
0.2
Decatur, IL
5.5
6.9
1.4
Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ
4.9
6.9
2.0
Decatur, AL
2.5
1.9
-0.6
Dover-Durham, NH-ME
2.4
1.9
-0.5
Fargo, ND-MN
1.7
1.9
0.2
Huntsville, AL
2.5
1.9
-0.6
Bismarck, ND
1.9
1.8
-0.1
California-Lexington Park, MD
3.6
1.8
-1.8
Manchester, NH
2.4
1.8
-0.6
Portsmouth, NH-ME
2.0
1.8
-0.2
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
3.4
1.7
-1.7
Rapid City, SD
1.7
1.6
-0.1
Burlington-South Burlington, VT
2.2
1.5
-0.7
Sioux Falls, SD
1.5
1.4
-0.1
Largest over-the-year increases and decreases in metropolitan area unemployment rates, July 2022 to July 2023
Metropolitan area
July 2022 unemployment rate
July 2023 unemployment rate
Percentage point change
El Centro, CA
15.2
17.7
2.5
Elkhart-Goshen, IN
2.8
5.2
2.4
Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ
4.9
6.9
2.0
Visalia-Porterville, CA
8.0
9.8
1.8
Danville, IL
4.9
6.6
1.7
Bakersfield, CA
6.8
8.4
1.6
Rockford, IL
5.2
6.8
1.6
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
6.4
7.9
1.5
Merced, CA
7.1
8.6
1.5
Decatur, IL
5.5
6.9
1.4
Kankakee, IL
4.7
6.1
1.4
Pocatello, ID
2.7
4.1
1.4
Yuma, AZ
15.3
16.7
1.4
Altoona, PA
5.2
3.8
-1.4
Cleveland-Elyria, OH
4.9
3.5
-1.4
Pine Bluff, AR
5.8
4.4
-1.4
East Stroudsburg, PA
6.2
4.7
-1.5
New Bedford, MA
5.3
3.8
-1.5
Williamsport, PA
5.2
3.7
-1.5
Cumberland, MD-WV
4.2
2.6
-1.6
Lansing-East Lansing, MI
6.0
4.4
-1.6
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
3.4
1.7
-1.7
California-Lexington Park, MD
3.6
1.8
-1.8
Johnstown, PA
6.5
4.7
-1.8
El Centro, California, had the highest unemployment rate, at 17.7 percent, followed by Yuma, Arizona (16.7 percent). An additional three metropolitan areas had unemployment rates above 8.0 percent: Visalia-Porterville, California (9.8 percent), Merced, California (8.6 percent), and Bakersfield, California (8.4 percent).
The largest unemployment rate increase from July 2022 to July 2023 also occurred in El Centro, California, at 2.5 percentage points. Unemployment rates fell over the year by 1.8 percentage points in California-Lexington Park, Maryland (3.6 percent in July 2022 to 1.8 percent in July 2023), and Johnstown, Pennsylvania (6.5 percent to 4.7 percent).
United States Department of Labor
