March 20, 2020

Unemployment rates trended downward for the month of January in 292 of the 389 metropolitan states compared to twelve months earlier. According to Bureau Labor Statistics (BLS), this was, “higher in 77 areas, and unchanged in 20 areas.” Jobless rates lower than 3% were recorded in 51 areas while 4 areas posted rates of at least 10.0%. Nonfarm payroll employment rose in 31 metropolitan areas, fell in 1 area, and was stable in the remaining 357 areas. The national unemployment rate as at January 2020 stood at 4.0%, not seasonally adjusted, down from 4.4% a year earlier.

Metropolitan Division Unemployment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

Eleven of the most populous metropolitan areas are made up of 38 metropolitan divisions, which are essentially separately identifiable employment centers. Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL, in January experienced the lowest unemployment rate among the divisions, 1.5%. Whereas, Philadelphia, PA, however, experienced the highest division rate, 5.5%.

Moreover, BLS stated, “31 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, 4 had increases, and 3 had no change. The largest rate decline occurred in Elgin, IL (-1.6 percentage points). None of the over-the-year rate increases exceeded 0.3 percentage point.”

Metropolitan Division Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

Nonfarm payroll employment rose in 8 of the 38 metropolitan divisions over the year and was stable in 30 divisions in January. The largest over-the-year increase in employment among the metropolitan divisions took place in Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX (+91,300), followed by New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ (+89,900), and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA (+79,800).

Furthermore, the largest over-the-year percentage increases in employment were observed in Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX (+3.5 %), San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA (+3.3 %), and Fort Worth-Arlington, TX (+2.6 %).

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