Data released April 1 show unemployment rates in February were up year over year in every one of the country's 372 metropolitan areas, with joblessness in El Centro, Calif., worst in the U.S. at 24.5%.
The report, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, also shows that more than 100 areas recorded unemployment rates of 10% or worse, while 20 areas had rates under 5%. The Houma, La., area had the nation's lowest unemployment rate in February at 3.5%. Overall, 158 areas posted unemployment rates above the nationwide figure of 8.9%, 206 areas reported rates below it, and eight areas had the same rate.
The charts here compare unemployment rates for all 372 metro areas for February 2008 and February 2009 and notes the change year over year. Unemployment rose 12.5 percentage points year over year in Elkhart-Goshen, Ind., from 5.5% to 18%, the biggest increase in the country.
The ranking column is based on February 2009 data. Unemployment data for cities typically lag several weeks behind monthly data for states.
To see data for metro areas M-Z, click here.
| Current rank | Metro area | % in Feb. 2008 | % in Feb. 2009 | Percentage-point increase | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States | 5.2 | 8.9 | 3.7 | ||||||
21 | Abilene, TX | 3.6 | 5.0 | 1.4 | |||||
253 | Akron, OH | 5.9 | 9.7 | 3.8 | |||||
191 | Albany, GA | 5.4 | 8.7 | 3.3 | |||||
124 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 5.1 | 7.6 | 2.5 | |||||
56 | Albuquerque, NM | 3.7 | 6.0 | 2.3 | |||||
40 | Alexandria, LA | 3.3 | 5.5 | 2.2 | |||||
191 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 5.5 | 8.7 | 3.2 | |||||
133 | Altoona, PA | 5.3 | 7.8 | 2.5 | |||||
10 | Amarillo, TX | 3.3 | 4.5 | 1.2 | |||||
2 | Ames, IA | 3.0 | 3.7 | 0.7 | |||||
136 | Anchorage, AK | 6.1 | 7.9 | 1.8 | |||||
300 | Anderson, IN | 6.9 | 10.9 | 4.0 | |||||
333 | Anderson, SC | 6.0 | 12.7 | 6.7 | |||||
112 | Ann Arbor, MI | 4.9 | 7.4 | 2.5 | |||||
191 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | 4.2 | 8.7 | 4.5 | |||||
185 | Appleton, WI | 5.1 | 8.6 | 3.5 | |||||
253 | Asheville, NC | 4.5 | 9.7 | 5.2 | |||||
107 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | 4.1 | 7.3 | 3.2 | |||||
235 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA | 5.2 | 9.3 | 4.1 | |||||
316 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | 6.7 | 11.8 | 5.1 | |||||
93 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | 4.0 | 7.0 | 3.0 | |||||
225 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 5.5 | 9.2 | 3.7 | |||||
69 | Austin-Round Rock, TX | 3.8 | 6.3 | 2.5 | |||||
357 | Bakersfield, CA | 10.0 | 14.7 | 4.7 | |||||
124 | Baltimore-Towson, MD | 3.9 | 7.6 | 3.7 | |||||
142 | Bangor, ME | 5.1 | 8.0 | 2.9 | |||||
300 | Barnstable Town, MA | 6.5 | 10.9 | 4.4 | |||||
24 | Baton Rouge, LA | 3.3 | 5.1 | 1.8 | |||||
305 | Battle Creek, MI | 7.2 | 11.2 | 4.0 | |||||
307 | Bay City, MI | 7.5 | 11.3 | 3.8 | |||||
177 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 5.6 | 8.5 | 2.9 | |||||
142 | Bellingham, WA | 5.0 | 8.0 | 3.0 | |||||
361 | Bend, OR | 8.1 | 16.1 | 8.0 | |||||
13 | Billings, MT | 3.3 | 4.7 | 1.4 | |||||
215 | Binghamton, NY | 5.7 | 9.0 | 3.3 | |||||
142 | Birmingham-Hoover, AL | 3.9 | 8.0 | 4.1 | |||||
35 | Bismarck, ND | 3.6 | 5.4 | 1.8 | |||||
142 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | 4.1 | 8.0 | 3.9 | |||||
124 | Bloomington, IN | 5.3 | 7.6 | 2.3 | |||||
71 | Bloomington-Normal, IL | 5.1 | 6.4 | 1.3 | |||||
167 | Boise City-Nampa, ID | 4.4 | 8.4 | 4.0 | |||||
112 | Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH | 4.3 | 7.4 | 3.1 | |||||
64 | Boulder, CO | 3.9 | 6.1 | 2.2 | |||||
281 | Bowling Green, KY | 5.4 | 10.3 | 4.9 | |||||
296 | Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, FL | 5.3 | 10.8 | 5.5 | |||||
131 | Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | 4.8 | 7.7 | 2.9 | |||||
112 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | 4.9 | 7.4 | 2.5 | |||||
235 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | 5.9 | 9.3 | 3.4 | |||||
177 | Brunswick, GA | 4.4 | 8.5 | 4.1 | |||||
247 | Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY | 6.3 | 9.6 | 3.3 | |||||
323 | Burlington, NC | 5.5 | 12.0 | 6.5 | |||||
78 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | 4.0 | 6.6 | 2.6 | |||||
296 | Canton-Massillon, OH | 6.6 | 10.8 | 4.2 | |||||
323 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | 6.4 | 12.0 | 5.6 | |||||
95 | Cape Girardeau-Jackson, MO-IL | 5.1 | 7.1 | 2.0 | |||||
307 | Carson City, NV | 6.5 | 11.3 | 4.8 | |||||
8 | Casper, WY | 3.1 | 4.3 | 1.2 | |||||
31 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 4.2 | 5.3 | 1.1 | |||||
98 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | 5.4 | 7.2 | 1.8 | |||||
56 | Charleston, WV | 4.4 | 6.0 | 1.6 | |||||
219 | Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville, SC | 4.6 | 9.1 | 4.5 | |||||
314 | Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC | 5.2 | 11.7 | 6.5 | |||||
42 | Charlottesville, VA | 2.8 | 5.6 | 2.8 | |||||
191 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | 5.4 | 8.7 | 3.3 | |||||
35 | Cheyenne, WY | 4.1 | 5.4 | 1.3 | |||||
225 | Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI | 5.7 | 9.2 | 3.5 | |||||
333 | Chico, CA | 7.9 | 12.7 | 4.8 | |||||
207 | Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN | 5.3 | 8.9 | 3.6 | |||||
269 | Clarksville, TN-KY | 6.5 | 10.0 | 3.5 | |||||
215 | Cleveland, TN | 5.8 | 9.0 | 3.2 | |||||
243 | Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH | 6.6 | 9.4 | 2.8 | |||||
243 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | 6.0 | 9.4 | 3.4 | |||||
14 | College Station-Bryan, TX | 3.5 | 4.8 | 1.3 | |||||
167 | Colorado Springs, CO | 5.3 | 8.4 | 3.1 | |||||
50 | Columbia, MO | 4.2 | 5.9 | 1.7 | |||||
200 | Columbia, SC | 4.8 | 8.8 | 4.0 | |||||
200 | Columbus, GA-AL | 5.5 | 8.8 | 3.3 | |||||
177 | Columbus, IN | 4.1 | 8.5 | 4.4 | |||||
136 | Columbus, OH | 5.0 | 7.9 | 2.9 | |||||
56 | Corpus Christi, TX | 4.3 | 6.0 | 1.7 | |||||
153 | Corvallis, OR | 4.2 | 8.1 | 3.9 | |||||
219 | Cumberland, MD-WV | 5.9 | 9.1 | 3.2 | |||||
88 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 4.4 | 6.9 | 2.5 | |||||
340 | Dalton, GA | 6.1 | 12.9 | 6.8 | |||||
85 | Danbury, CT | 4.3 | 6.8 | 2.5 | |||||
303 | Danville, IL | 7.8 | 11.0 | 3.2 | |||||
329 | Danville, VA | 6.9 | 12.3 | 5.4 | |||||
98 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 5.3 | 7.2 | 1.9 | |||||
304 | Dayton, OH | 6.2 | 11.1 | 4.9 | |||||
215 | Decatur, AL | 5.5 | 9.0 | 3.5 | |||||
269 | Decatur, IL | 6.9 | 10.0 | 3.1 | |||||
281 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | 5.1 | 10.3 | 5.2 | |||||
136 | Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO | 4.6 | 7.9 | 3.3 | |||||
27 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 4.0 | 5.2 | 1.2 | |||||
346 | Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI | 7.5 | 13.6 | 6.1 | |||||
142 | Dothan, AL | 4.1 | 8.0 | 3.9 | |||||
133 | Dover, DE | 4.1 | 7.8 | 3.7 | |||||
74 | Dubuque, IA | 4.8 | 6.5 | 1.7 | |||||
262 | Duluth, MN-WI | 6.2 | 9.8 | 3.6 | |||||
142 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 4.2 | 8.0 | 3.8 | |||||
142 | Eau Claire, WI | 4.9 | 8.0 | 3.1 | |||||
372 | El Centro, CA | 17.3 | 24.5 | 7.2 | |||||
159 | El Paso, TX | 5.7 | 8.2 | 2.5 | |||||
292 | Elizabethtown, KY | 6.1 | 10.7 | 4.6 | |||||
369 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 5.5 | 18.0 | 12.5 | |||||
265 | Elmira, NY | 5.5 | 9.9 | 4.4 | |||||
185 | Erie, PA | 6.0 | 8.6 | 2.6 | |||||
336 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | 5.7 | 12.8 | 7.1 | |||||
207 | Evansville, IN-KY | 5.0 | 8.9 | 3.9 | |||||
191 | Fairbanks, AK | 6.5 | 8.7 | 2.2 | |||||
17 | Fargo, ND-MN | 3.1 | 4.9 | 1.8 | |||||
17 | Farmington, NM | 3.2 | 4.9 | 1.7 | |||||
245 | Fayetteville, NC | 5.5 | 9.5 | 4.0 | |||||
46 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO | 4.0 | 5.8 | 1.8 | |||||
88 | Flagstaff, AZ | 4.6 | 6.9 | 2.3 | |||||
348 | Flint, MI | 9.1 | 13.8 | 4.7 | |||||
321 | Florence, SC | 6.3 | 11.9 | 5.6 | |||||
235 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | 4.9 | 9.3 | 4.4 | |||||
219 | Fond du Lac, WI | 5.3 | 9.1 | 3.8 | |||||
74 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 4.3 | 6.5 | 2.2 | |||||
107 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | 4.8 | 7.3 | 2.5 | |||||
107 | Fort Walton Beach-Crestview-Destin, FL | 3.9 | 7.3 | 3.4 | |||||
265 | Fort Wayne, IN | 5.3 | 9.9 | 4.6 | |||||
366 | Fresno, CA | 10.7 | 16.4 | 5.7 | |||||
253 | Gadsden, AL | 4.7 | 9.7 | 5.0 | |||||
67 | Gainesville, FL | 3.2 | 6.2 | 3.0 | |||||
207 | Gainesville, GA | 4.3 | 8.9 | 4.6 | |||||
269 | Glens Falls, NY | 6.5 | 10.0 | 3.5 | |||||
253 | Goldsboro, NC | 4.9 | 9.7 | 4.8 | |||||
27 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | 3.7 | 5.2 | 1.5 | |||||
98 | Grand Junction, CO | 3.9 | 7.2 | 3.3 | |||||
290 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | 6.4 | 10.5 | 4.1 | |||||
31 | Great Falls, MT | 4.3 | 5.3 | 1.0 | |||||
167 | Greeley, CO | 5.2 | 8.4 | 3.2 | |||||
167 | Green Bay, WI | 5.0 | 8.4 | 3.4 | |||||
312 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | 5.4 | 11.6 | 6.2 | |||||
284 | Greenville, NC | 5.2 | 10.4 | 5.2 | |||||
262 | Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC | 4.8 | 9.8 | 5.0 | |||||
124 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | 5.0 | 7.6 | 2.6 | |||||
253 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 5.0 | 9.7 | 4.7 | |||||
365 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 11.3 | 16.3 | 5.0 | |||||
98 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 4.3 | 7.2 | 2.9 | |||||
78 | Harrisonburg, VA | 3.2 | 6.6 | 3.4 | |||||
142 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 5.5 | 8.0 | 2.5 | |||||
85 | Hattiesburg, MS | 4.7 | 6.8 | 2.1 | |||||
359 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 6.4 | 15.7 | 9.3 | |||||
159 | Hinesville-Fort Stewart, GA | 5.0 | 8.2 | 3.2 | |||||
326 | Holland-Grand Haven, MI | 6.4 | 12.1 | 5.7 | |||||
35 | Honolulu | 2.6 | 5.4 | 2.8 | |||||
98 | Hot Springs, AR | 5.4 | 7.2 | 1.8 | |||||
1 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | 2.4 | 3.5 | 1.1 | |||||
71 | Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX | 4.3 | 6.4 | 2.1 | |||||
120 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 5.2 | 7.5 | 2.3 | |||||
74 | Huntsville, AL | 3.3 | 6.5 | 3.2 | |||||
46 | Idaho Falls, ID | 3.3 | 5.8 | 2.5 | |||||
159 | Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | 4.6 | 8.2 | 3.6 | |||||
3 | Iowa City, IA | 3.0 | 3.8 | 0.8 | |||||
50 | Ithaca, NY | 3.5 | 5.9 | 2.4 | |||||
333 | Jackson, MI | 8.0 | 12.7 | 4.7 | |||||
98 | Jackson, MS | 4.6 | 7.2 | 2.6 | |||||
225 | Jackson, TN | 6.3 | 9.2 | 2.9 | |||||
225 | Jacksonville, FL | 4.6 | 9.2 | 4.6 | |||||
219 | Jacksonville, NC | 5.3 | 9.1 | 3.8 | |||||
343 | Janesville, WI | 5.8 | 13.0 | 7.2 | |||||
120 | Jefferson City, MO | 4.7 | 7.5 | 2.8 | |||||
185 | Johnson City, TN | 5.6 | 8.6 | 3.0 | |||||
207 | Johnstown, PA | 6.3 | 8.9 | 2.6 | |||||
82 | Jonesboro, AR | 5.2 | 6.7 | 1.5 | |||||
107 | Joplin, MO | 4.8 | 7.3 | 2.5 | |||||
265 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | 6.2 | 9.9 | 3.7 | |||||
323 | Kankakee-Bradley, IL | 8.7 | 12.0 | 3.3 | |||||
167 | Kansas City, MO-KS | 5.2 | 8.4 | 3.2 | |||||
177 | Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA | 6.0 | 8.5 | 2.5 | |||||
64 | Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX | 4.7 | 6.1 | 1.4 | |||||
185 | Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA | 4.9 | 8.6 | 3.7 | |||||
167 | Kingston, NY | 5.5 | 8.4 | 2.9 | |||||
136 | Knoxville, TN | 4.8 | 7.9 | 3.1 | |||||
336 | Kokomo, IN | 6.8 | 12.8 | 6.0 | |||||
107 | La Crosse, WI-MN | 4.4 | 7.3 | 2.9 | |||||
167 | Lafayette, IN | 4.7 | 8.4 | 3.7 | |||||
4 | Lafayette, LA | 2.5 | 3.9 | 1.4 | |||||
17 | Lake Charles, LA | 3.4 | 4.9 | 1.5 | |||||
235 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | 5.8 | 9.3 | 3.5 | |||||
284 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | 4.9 | 10.4 | 5.5 | |||||
112 | Lancaster, PA | 4.0 | 7.4 | 3.4 | |||||
275 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | 6.2 | 10.1 | 3.9 | |||||
112 | Laredo, TX | 5.0 | 7.4 | 2.4 | |||||
50 | Las Cruces, NM | 4.3 | 5.9 | 1.6 | |||||
275 | Las Vegas-Paradise, NV | 5.1 | 10.1 | 5.0 | |||||
35 | Lawrence, KS | 3.6 | 5.4 | 1.8 | |||||
21 | Lawton, OK | 3.6 | 5.0 | 1.4 | |||||
98 | Lebanon, PA | 4.2 | 7.2 | 3.0 | |||||
292 | Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner, MA | 6.3 | 10.7 | 4.4 | |||||
120 | Lewiston, ID-WA | 5.2 | 7.5 | 2.3 | |||||
247 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | 5.4 | 9.6 | 4.2 | |||||
153 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 5.0 | 8.1 | 3.1 | |||||
326 | Lima, OH | 6.7 | 12.1 | 5.4 | |||||
7 | Lincoln, NE | 2.9 | 4.2 | 1.3 | |||||
56 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | 4.5 | 6.0 | 1.5 | |||||
9 | Logan, UT-ID | 2.8 | 4.4 | 1.6 | |||||
56 | Longview, TX | 3.8 | 6.0 | 2.2 | |||||
352 | Longview, WA | 7.8 | 14.2 | 6.4 | |||||
278 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA | 5.5 | 10.2 | 4.7 | |||||
269 | Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN | 5.8 | 10.0 | 4.2 | |||||
10 | Lubbock, TX | 3.4 | 4.5 | 1.1 | |||||
120 | Lynchburg, VA | 3.7 | 7.5 | 3.8 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Continued: Unemployment by metro area, M through Z
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