Unemployment Rates Dip Slightly in June, BLS Reports
Unemployment Rates Dip Slightly in June, BLS Reports
July 30, 2010 — Scottsdale, Ariz. — Unemployment rates were lower in June than a year earlier in 185 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 168 areas, and unchanged in 19 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has reported. 12 areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15%, while 6 areas registered rates below 5%. The national unemployment rate in June was 9.6%, not seasonally adjusted, compared with 9.7% a year earlier.
In June, 128 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 10%, down from 145 areas a year earlier, while 60 areas posted rates below 7%, up from 54 areas in June 2009. El Centro, Calif., and Yuma, Ariz., again recorded the highest unemployment rates, 27.6% and 26.4 %, respectively.
Among the 12 areas with jobless rates of at least 15%, 10 were in California. Bismarck, N.D., registered the lowest unemployment rate in June, 3.8%, followed by Fargo, N.D.-Minn., 4.1%. All six areas with jobless rates of less than 5% were located in the West North Central division. Overall, 218 areas recorded unemployment rates below the U.S. figure of 9.6%, 147 areas reported rates above it, and 7 areas had rates equal to that of the nation.
Two areas in Indiana posted the largest over-the-year jobless rate decreases: Kokomo (-7.2 percentage points) and Elkhart-Goshen (-4.2 points). Nine additional areas reported rate decreases of at least 2 percentage points. Yuma, Ariz., registered the largest over-the-year jobless rate increase in June (+2.9 percentage points). The areas with the next largest unemployment rate increases were Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev., and Yuba City, Calif. (+2.1 percentage points each), and Reno-Sparks, Nev. (+2 points).
Of the 49 metropolitan areas with a Census 2000 population of 1 million or more, Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev., registered the highest unemployment rate in June, 14.5%. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif., and Detroit-Warren-Livonia, Mich., followed closely with rates of 14.4% and 14.3%, respectively. 17 additional large areas posted rates of 10% or more. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.-W.Va., registered the lowest jobless rate among the large areas, 6.4%. Two other large areas had rates below 7%: Oklahoma City, Okla., 6.7%, and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Minn.-Wis., 6.8%. 24 of the large areas reported over-the-year unemployment rate increases, while 20 areas recorded rate decreases and 5 had no rate change. Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev., experienced the largest rate increase from June 2009 (+2.1 percentage points). The areas with the next largest rate increases were Pittsburgh, Pa., and Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville, Calif. (+1 percentage point each). Detroit-Warren-Livonia, Mich., and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Minn.-Wis., posted the largest jobless rate decreases over the year (-2 and -1.7 percentage points, respectively), and three other large areas registered rate decreases of 1 point or more.
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