Unemployment falls in 80% of U.S. metros

Markets in Indiana and Michigan see biggest drops

Jobless rates fell year-over-year in the vast majority of U.S. metro areas in April, according to the latest figures released today from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Of 372 metro areas covered by the bureau, 80 percent posted drops in unemployment compared to April 2010, while the rate rose in about 15 percent and remained the same in some 6 percent of metros. By contrast, nearly half of metros saw their rate rise in November.

Nationally, the unemployment rate fell to a non-seasonally-adjusted 8.7 percent from 9.2 percent in March and 9.5 percent in April 2010.

Indiana and Michigan saw the biggest drops in unemployment, accounting for nine out of 12 metro areas to see percentage-point declines of 3 percent or more.

Over-the-Year Change in Unemployment Rates for Metropolitan Areas
Not Seasonally Adjusted
		Apr. 2010	Apr. 2011p
Rank	Metropolitan Area	Rate	Rate	Change
	United States	9.5	8.7	-0.8
1	Elkhart-Goshen, Ind.	14.1	10.1	-4
2	Muskegon-Norton Shores, Mich.	14	10.1	-3.9
3	Rockford, Ill.	15.7	11.9	-3.8
4	Kokomo, Ind.	12.8	9.3	-3.5
5	Jackson, Mich.	13	9.7	-3.3
6	Flint, Mich.	14	10.8	-3.2
6	Holland-Grand Haven, Mich.	11.3	8.1	-3.2
8	Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev.	15.1	12.1	-3
8	Michigan City-La Porte, Ind.	12.5	9.5	-3
8	Monroe, Mich.	12.5	9.5	-3
8	Niles-Benton Harbor, Mich.	12.7	9.7	-3
8	Sandusky, Ohio	11	8	-3

Source: BLS

California metros continue to post the highest unemployment rates in the nation, accounting for 9 out of the 10 markets with unemployment rates higher than 16 percent.

Unemployment Rates for Metropolitan Areas
Not Seasonally Adjusted
Apr. 2011p
Rank	Metropolitan Area	Rate
	United States	8.7
372	El Centro, Calif.	27.9
371	Yuma, Ariz.	25.3
370	Yuba City, Calif.	20.2
369	Merced, Calif.	19.5
368	Modesto, Calif.	17.5
367	Stockton, Calif.	17.3
366	Fresno, Calif.	17
365	Hanford-Corcoran, Calif.	16.6
364	Visalia-Porterville, Calif.	16.4
363	Madera-Chowchilla, Calif.	16.3

Source: BLS

North Dakota, Iowa and New Hampshire metros had the lowest unemployment rates in the nation, accounting for seven of the 11 markets with rates of 4.5 percent or lower.

Unemployment Rates for Metropolitan Areas
Not Seasonally Adjusted
Apr. 2011p
Rank	Metropolitan Area	Rate
	United States	8.7
1	Bismarck, N.D.	2.9
2	Fargo, N.D.-Minn.	3.7
3	Lincoln, Neb.	3.8
4	Portsmouth, N.H.-Maine	4.2
5	Grand Forks, N.D.-Minn.	4.3
5	Iowa City, Iowa	4.3
7	Midland, Texas	4.4
8	Ames, Iowa	4.5
8	Burlington-South Burlington, Vt.	4.5
8	Manchester, N.H.	4.5
8	Oklahoma City, Okla.	4.5

Source: BLS

Nevada had the highest unemployment rate among the states in April (12.5 percent), followed by California (11.9 percent), Rhode Island (10.9 percent), Florida (10.8 percent), and Mississippi (10.4 percent).

North Dakota had the lowest rate (3.3 percent), followed by Nebraska (4.2 percent), New Hampshire (4.9 percent), South Dakota (4.9 percent), and Vermont (5.3 percent).

Unemployment Rates for States
Seasonally Adjusted
Apr. 2011p
Rank	State	Rate
1	NORTH DAKOTA	3.3
2	NEBRASKA	4.2
3	NEW HAMPSHIRE	4.9
3	SOUTH DAKOTA	4.9
5	VERMONT	5.3
6	OKLAHOMA	5.6
7	IOWA	6
7	WYOMING	6
9	HAWAII	6.1
9	VIRGINIA	6.1
11	MINNESOTA	6.5
12	KANSAS	6.7
13	MARYLAND	6.8
14	ALASKA	7.3
14	MONTANA	7.3
14	WISCONSIN	7.3
17	UTAH	7.4
18	PENNSYLVANIA	7.5
19	MAINE	7.6
19	NEW MEXICO	7.6
21	ARKANSAS	7.7
22	MASSACHUSETTS	7.8
23	NEW YORK	7.9
24	TEXAS	8
25	LOUISIANA	8.1
26	DELAWARE	8.2
26	INDIANA	8.2
28	OHIO	8.6
29	ILLINOIS	8.7
30	COLORADO	8.8
30	WEST VIRGINIA	8.8
32	MISSOURI	8.9
33	CONNECTICUT	9.1
33	WASHINGTON	9.1
35	ALABAMA	9.3
35	ARIZONA	9.3
35	NEW JERSEY	9.3
38	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	9.6
38	IDAHO	9.6
38	OREGON	9.6
38	TENNESSEE	9.6
42	NORTH CAROLINA	9.7
43	SOUTH CAROLINA	9.8
44	GEORGIA	9.9
45	KENTUCKY	10
46	MICHIGAN	10.2
47	MISSISSIPPI	10.4
48	FLORIDA	10.8
49	RHODE ISLAND	10.9
50	CALIFORNIA	11.9
51	NEVADA	12.5

Source: B