Payroll jobs up in 302
WASHINGTON (May 28, 2014) — Unemployment rates were lower in April than a year earlier in 357 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 12 areas, and unchanged in three areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Fourteen areas had jobless rates of at least 10 percent and 118 areas had rates of less than 5 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 302 metropolitan areas, decreased in 63 areas, and was unchanged in seven areas. The national unemployment rate in April was 5.9 percent, not seasonally adjusted, down from 7.1 percent a year earlier.
Metropolitan area unemployment (not seasonally adjusted)
Yuma, Ariz., and El Centro, Calif., had the highest unemployment rates in April, 23.8 percent and 21.6 percent, respectively. Midland, Texas, had the lowest unemployment rate, 2.3 percent. A total of 214 areas had April unemployment rates below the U.S. figure of 5.9 percent, 148 areas had rates above it, and 10 areas had rates equal to that of the nation.
Yuma, Ariz., had the largest over-the-year unemployment rate decrease in April (-3.0 percentage points). Fifty-one other areas had rate declines of at least 2.0 percentage points, and an additional 201 areas had declines of at least 1.0 point. Florence-Muscle Shoals, Ala., had the largest over-the-year jobless rate increase (+1.0 percentage point).
Of the 49 metropolitan areas with a Census 2000 population of 1 million or more, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif., had the highest unemployment rate in April, 8.3 percent. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, Texas, and Oklahoma City, Okla., had the lowest jobless rates among the large areas, 3.8 percent each. Forty-eight of the large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, while one had an increase. The largest unemployment rate decline occurred in Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev. (-2.5 percentage points). Birmingham-Hoover, Ala., had the only jobless rate increase (+0.4 percentage point).
Metropolitan division unemployment (not seasonally adjusted)
Eleven of the most populous metropolitan areas are made up of 34 metropolitan divisions, which are essentially separately identifiable employment centers. In April, Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, Mich., and Lawrence-Methuen-Salem, Mass.-N.H., had the highest jobless rates among the divisions, 8.9 percent each. Bethesda- Rockville-Frederick, Md., had the lowest division rate, 4.1 percent.
All 34 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year jobless rate decreases in April. Philadelphia, Pa., had the largest rate decline from a year earlier (-2.2 percentage points). Twenty-one other divisions had rate decreases of 1.0 percentage point or more.
Metropolitan area nonfarm employment (not seasonally adjusted)
Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 302 metropolitan areas, decreased in 63 areas, and was unchanged in 7 areas. The largest over-the-year employment increases occurred in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif. (+118,200), Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas (+115,900), and New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. (+94,300). The largest over-the-year percentage gain in employment occurred in Ocean City, N.J. (+7.5 percent), followed by Greeley, Colo. (+5.3 percent), and College Station-Bryan, Texas (+5.0 percent).
The largest over-the-year decrease in employment occurred in Detroit-Warren- Livonia, Mich. (-5,500), followed by Albuquerque, N.M. (-4,500), and Atlantic City- Hammonton, N.J. (-3,700). The largest over-the-year percentage decreases in employment occurred in Farmington, N.M. (-3.7 percent), Warner Robins, Ga. (-3.0 percent), and Bloomington-Normal, Ill. (-2.9 percent).
Over the year, nonfarm employment rose in 36 of the 38 metropolitan areas with annual average employment levels above 750,000 in 2013. The largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment in these large metropolitan areas occurred in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Fla. (+4.5 percent), followed by San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif. (+4.0 percent), and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas (+3.8 percent). The over-the-year percentage decreases in employment occurred in Detroit-Warren- Livonia, Mich., and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, Va.-N.C. (-0.3 percent each).
Metropolitan division nonfarm employment (not seasonally adjusted)
Nonfarm payroll employment data were available in April 2014 for 32 metropolitan divisions, which are essentially separately identifiable employment centers within a metropolitan area. Thirty of the 32 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year employment gains and 2 had losses. The largest over-the-year increase in employment among the metropolitan divisions occurred in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif. (+91,300), followed by Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas (+89,600), and New York-White Plains- Wayne, N.Y.-N.J. (+73,600). The over-the-year decreases in employment occurred in Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, Mich. (-11,000), and Camden, N.J. (-3,200).
The largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment among the metropolitan divisions occurred in Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas (+4.2 percent), followed by Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, Fla., and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, Fla. (+3.3 percent each). The over-the-year percentage decreases in employment occurred in Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, Mich. (-1.5 percent), and Camden, N.J. (-0.6 percent).
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