Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, October 2, 2024 	                               USDL-24-2051

Technical information: 
 Employment:    (202) 691-6559  *  [email protected]    *  www.bls.gov/sae 
 Unemployment:  (202) 691-6392  *  [email protected]  *  www.bls.gov/lau 

Media contact:  (202) 691-5902  *  [email protected]


                 METROPOLITAN AREA EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT -- AUGUST 2024


Unemployment rates were higher in August than a year earlier in 315 of the 389 metropolitan
areas, lower in 54 areas, and unchanged in 20 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported today. A total of 34 areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent and 7 areas had
rates of at least 8.0 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 54
metropolitan areas and was essentially unchanged in 335 areas. The national unemployment rate
in August was 4.4 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 3.9 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 August, Sioux Falls, SD, had the lowest unemployment rate, 1.9 percent. The next lowest
rates were in Burlington-South Burlington, VT; Madison, WI; and Rapid City, SD, 2.1 percent
each. El Centro, CA, had the highest rate, 20.2 percent. A total of 238 areas had August
jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 4.4 percent, 139 areas had rates above it, and 12 areas
had rates equal to that of the nation. (See table 1.) 

The largest over-the-year unemployment rate increase in August occurred in Kokomo, IN (+6.5
percentage points). Eight other areas had rate increases of at least 2.0 percentage points.
Yuma, AZ, had the largest over-the-year rate decrease in August (-2.3 percentage points).

Of the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more, Nashville-
Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN, had the lowest jobless rate in August, 2.9 percent,
followed by Birmingham-Hoover, AL, and Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI, 3.1 percent each.
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, had the highest rate, 6.2 percent, followed by Las Vegas-
Henderson-Paradise, NV, 6.1 percent, and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA, 6.0 percent.
Forty-five large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate increases, four had decreases, and
two had no change. The largest rate increase occurred in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA (+1.8
percentage points). The largest jobless rate decline occurred in Milwaukee-Waukesha-West
Allis, WI (-0.8 percentage point).

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, Miami-Miami Beach-
Kendall, FL, and Silver Spring-Frederick-Rockville, MD, had the lowest division unemployment
rates, 3.1 percent each. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA, had the highest rate among the 
divisions, 6.7 percent. (See table 2.)

In August, 35 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate increases, 2 had
decreases, and 1 had no change. The largest increases occurred in Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem,
MA-NH (+1.5 percentage points), and Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH (+1.4 points). Both
unemployment rate declines from August 2023 were marginal (-0.3 percentage point in Lake
County-Kenosha County, IL-WI, and -0.1 point in Elgin, IL).

Metropolitan Area Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In August 2024, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 54 metropolitan areas and
was essentially unchanged in 335 areas. The largest over-the-year employment increases occurred
in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA (+174,300), Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 
(+98,900), and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX (+80,500). The largest over-the-year 
percentage gain in employment occurred in Rochester, MN (+5.9 percent), followed by Champaign-
Urbana, IL; Pocatello, ID; and St. George, UT (+4.7 percent each). (See table 3.)

Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 24 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census
population of 1 million or more and was essentially unchanged in 27 areas. The largest over-
the-year percentage increases in employment in these large metropolitan areas occurred in Las
Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV (+3.7 percent), and Salt Lake City, UT (+2.7 percent), followed 
by Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN, and St. Louis, MO-IL (+2.6 percent each).

Metropolitan Division Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

In August, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 8 metropolitan divisions and
was essentially unchanged in 30 divisions. The largest over-the-year increases in employment
among the metropolitan divisions occurred in New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ 
(+139,000), Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA (+78,100), and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL
(+35,800). (See table 4.)

The largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment occurred in Miami-Miami Beach-
Kendall, FL (+2.8 percent), followed by Camden, NJ, and Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-
Deerfield Beach, FL (+2.7 percent each).

_____________
The State Employment and Unemployment news release for September is scheduled to be
released on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The Metropolitan Area
Employment and Unemployment news release for September is scheduled to be released
on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).