Unemployment rates were lower in December than a year earlier in 375 of the 389 metropolitan areas, higher in 13 areas, and unchanged in 1 area, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. A total of 141 areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent and 1 area had a rate of at least 10.0 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 108 metropolitan areas and was essentially unchanged in 281 areas. The national unemployment rate in December was 3.7 percent, not seasonally adjusted, down from 6.5 percent a year earlier.
This news release presents statistics from two monthly programs. The civilian labor force and unemployment data are based on the same concepts and definitions as those used for the national household survey estimates. These data pertain to individuals by where they reside. The employment data are from an establishment survey that measures nonfarm employment, hours, and earnings by industry. These data pertain to jobs on payrolls defined by where the establishments are located. For more information about the concepts and statistical methodologies used by these two programs, see the Technical Note.
Metropolitan Area Unemployment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
In December, Elkhart-Goshen, IN, had the lowest unemployment rate, 0.9 percent, closely followed by Bloomington, IN, and Columbus, IN, 1.0 percent each. El Centro, CA, had the highest rate, 14.7 percent. A total of 245 areas had December jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 3.7 percent, 135 areas had rates above it, and 9 areas had rates equal to that of the nation. (See table 1.)
The largest over-the-year unemployment rate decrease in December occurred in Kahului- Wailuku-Lahaina, HI (-7.1 percentage points). Rates fell over the year by at least 4.0 percentage points in an additional 19 areas. No area had a jobless rate increase of more than 0.4 percentage point.
Of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more, Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN, had the lowest jobless rate in December, 1.2 percent, followed by Salt Lake City, UT, 1.3 percent. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV, had the highest unemployment rate, 6.0 percent. Fifty large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, the largest of which was in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI (-6.0 percentage points). The only positive rate difference relative to December 2020 was marginal (+0.1 percentage point in Jacksonville, FL).
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. In December 2021, Miami- Miami Beach-Kendall, FL, had the lowest division unemployment rate, 1.4 percent. New York- Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ, and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA, had the highest rates among the divisions, 6.3 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively. (See table 2.)
In December, all 38 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases. Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, MI, had the largest rate decline (-7.3 percentage points).
Metropolitan Area Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
In December, 108 metropolitan areas had over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment and 281 were essentially unchanged. The largest over-the-year employment increases occurred in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA (+427,300), Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (+387,900), and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX (+196,900). The largest over-the-year percentage gains in employment occurred in Yuma, AZ (+10.1 percent), Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ (+9.1 percent), and Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL, and Kahului-Wailuku- Lahaina, HI (+9.0 percent each). (See table 3.)
Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 48 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more, while employment was essentially unchanged in 3 areas. The largest over-the-year percentage increases in employment in these large metropolitan areas occurred in Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV (+8.8 percent), Orlando-Kissimmee- Sanford, FL (+7.7 percent), and Austin-Round Rock, TX, and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA (+7.3 percent each).
Metropolitan Division Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
In December, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 27 metropolitan divisions and was essentially unchanged in 11 divisions over the year. The largest over-the-year increase in employment among the metropolitan divisions occurred in New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ (+338,300), followed by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA (+282,300), and Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL (+164,000). (See table 4.)
The largest over-the-year percentage increases in employment occurred in San Francisco- Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA (+8.1 percent), Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, MI (+7.6 percent), and Camden, NJ, and San Rafael, CA (+7.2 percent each).
The Regional and State Unemployment 2021 Annual Averages news release is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The State Employment and Unemployment news release for January 2022 is scheduled to be released on Monday, March 14, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for January 2022 is scheduled to be released on Friday, March 18, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).
