METROPOLITAN AREA EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT -- AUGUST 2017
Unemployment rates were lower in August than a year earlier in 323 of the 388
metropolitan areas, higher in 55 areas, and unchanged in 10 areas, the U.S. Bureau
of Labor Statistics reported today. Thirty-two areas had jobless rates of less than
3.0 percent and three areas had rates of at least 10.0 percent. Nonfarm payroll
employment increased over the year in 326 metropolitan areas, decreased in 55 areas,
and was unchanged in 7 areas. The national unemployment rate in August was 4.5
percent, not seasonally adjusted, down from 5.0 percent a year earlier.
Metropolitan Area Unemployment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
In August, Fort Collins, CO, had the lowest unemployment rate, 1.8 percent, closely
followed by Boulder, CO, 1.9 percent. El Centro, CA, and Yuma, AZ, had the highest
unemployment rates, 24.9 percent and 23.7 percent, respectively. A total of 196 areas
had August jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 4.5 percent, 180 areas had rates above
it, and 12 areas had rates equal to that of the nation. (See table 1.)
Odessa, TX, had the largest over-the-year unemployment rate decrease in August (-2.7
percentage points). An additional 78 areas had rate declines of at least 1.0 percentage
point. The largest over-the-year rate increases occurred in Cleveland-Elyria, OH (+1.4
percentage points), and Toledo, OH (+1.2 points).
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| |
| Hurricane Harvey |
| |
|Hurricane Harvey had no discernible effect on the employment and unemployment |
|data for August. Household survey data collection was completed before the |
|storm. Establishment survey data collection for this news release was largely |
|completed prior to the storm, and collection rates were within normal ranges |
|nationally and for the affected areas. For information on how unusually |
|severe weather can affect the employment estimates, see the Frequently Asked |
|Questions section of the Employment Situation news release at |
|www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.faq.htm. |
|______________________________________________________________________________|
Of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more,
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO, had the lowest unemployment rate in August, 2.2 percent.
Cleveland-Elyria, OH, had the highest jobless rate among the large areas, 6.8 percent.
Forty-two large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, eight had
increases, and one had no change. The largest rate decrease occurred in Birmingham-
Hoover, AL (-2.0 percentage points). The largest over-the-year rate increase was in
Cleveland-Elyria, OH (+1.4 percentage points).
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 August, Nashua,
NH-MA, had the lowest unemployment rate among the divisions, 2.9 percent. Philadelphia,
PA, had the highest jobless rate, 6.1 percent. (See table 2.)
In August, 23 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases,
12 had increases, and 3 had no change. The largest rate decline occurred in Detroit-
Dearborn-Livonia, MI (-1.9 percentage points). The largest over-the-year rate increases
occurred in Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA, and Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ (+0.5 percentage
point each).
Metropolitan Area Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
In August, 326 metropolitan areas had over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll
employment, 55 had decreases, and 7 had no change. The largest over-the-year employment
increases occurred in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA (+145,900), Dallas-Fort
Worth-Arlington, TX (+96,700), and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA (+86,400). The
largest over-the-year percentage gains in employment occurred in Lake Charles, LA
(+5.8 percent), Elkhart-Goshen, IN (+5.6 percent), and Sebring, FL (+5.1 percent).
(See table 3.)
The largest over-the-year decrease in employment occurred in Virginia Beach-Norfolk-
Newport News, VA-NC (-4,500), followed by Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI (-3,100),
and Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA (-2,100). The largest over-the-year percentage
decrease in employment occurred in Beckley, WV (-3.1 percent), followed by Michigan
City-La Porte, IN (-2.6 percent), and Cape Girardeau, MO-IL (-2.5 percent).
Over the year, nonfarm employment rose in 48 of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010
Census population of 1 million or more and fell in 3. The largest over-the-year
percentage increases in employment in these large metropolitan areas occurred in
Raleigh, NC (+3.5 percent), Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL (+3.3 percent), and Atlanta-
Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA, and Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV (+3.2 percent each).
The over-the-year percentage decreases occurred in Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News,
VA-NC (-0.6 percent), Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI (-0.4 percent), and Rochester,
NY (-0.3 percent).
Metropolitan Division Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
In August, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 37 of the 38 metropolitan divisions
over the year and fell in Elgin, IL (-900, or -0.4 percent). The largest over-the-year
increase in employment among the metropolitan divisions occurred in New York-Jersey
City-White Plains, NY-NJ (+135,200), followed by Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX (+70,900), and
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (+53,800). The largest over-the-year
percentage increases occurred in Tacoma-Lakewood, WA (+3.5 percent), Fort Lauderdale-
Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, FL (+3.3 percent), and Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury
Town, MA-NH (+3.1 percent). (See table 4.)
- Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Technical Note
- Table 1. Civilian labor force and unemployment by state and metropolitan area
- Table 2. Civilian labor force and unemployment by state, selected metropolitan area, and metropolitan division (1)
- Table 3. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by state and metropolitan area
- Table 4. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by state, selected metropolitan area, and metropolitan division
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