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The Most Unemployed Cities In America
At the end of 2012, the U.S. national unemployment rate was 7.8 percent and the country added 155,000 jobs in December, but these numbers still reflect a troubling economy with a long way to go.
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"This shows the depth of the recent employment recession — worse than any other post-war recession — and the relatively slow recovery due to the lingering effects of the housing bust and financial crisis," writes Bill McBride of Calculated Risk.
According to a brand new BLS employment report, unemployment rates were lower in 322 out of 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 36 areas and unchanged in 14 areas compared to the same time last year.
Yuma, Ariz. and El Centro, Calif. recorded the highest unemployment rates at 27.5 and 26.6 percent — both cities have a large immigrant and migrant farm worker population.
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The largest unemployment rate drop (-3.2 percent) took place in Pascagoula, Miss., and Bismarck, N.D. registered the lowest unemployment rate at 2.6 percent.
In the new year, President Obama is planning on creating 1.1 million jobs from the American Job Acts, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
The BLS' data isn't adjusted for seasonal factors, such as hiring during the holidays.
Fairbanks
Percent unemployed:
5.7%
No. unemployed:
2,700
Alaska
Percent unemployed:
6.6%
No. unemployed:
23,600
NOTE: Most of Alaska's unemployed live outside of cities.
Source: BLS
Yuma
Percent unemployed:
27.5%
No. unemployed:
24,800
Arizona
Percent unemployed:
7.5%
No. unemployed:
227,600
Source: BLS
Pine Bluff
Percent unemployed:
8.3%
No. unemployed:
3,600
Arkansas
Percent unemployed:
6.5%
No. unemployed:
87,400
Source: BLS
El Centro
Percent unemployed:
26.6%
No. unemployed:
20,600
California
Percent unemployed:
9.6%
No. unemployed:
1.77 million
Source: BLS
Pueblo
Percent unemployed:
10.1%
No. unemployed:
7,700
Colorado
Percent unemployed:
7.5%
No. unemployed:
204,300
Source: BLS
Waterbury
Percent unemployed:
10.7%
No. unemployed:
10,900
Connecticut
Percent unemployed:
8.3%
No. unemployed:
154,700
Source: BLS
Dover
Percent unemployed:
6.6%
No. unemployed:
4,900
Delaware
Percent unemployed:
6.2%
No. unemployed:
27,600
Source: BLS
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria*
Percent unemployed:
5.0%
No. unemployed:
162,400
District of Columbia
Percent unemployed:
8.2%
No. unemployed:
30,000
*Note: This metro area includes cities that aren't in the District of Columbia
Source: BLS
Palm Coast
Percent unemployed:
11.4%
No. unemployed:
3,900
Florida
Percent unemployed:
7.9%
No. unemployed:
739,100
Source: BLS
Dalton
Percent unemployed:
11.0%
No. unemployed:
6,400
Georgia
Percent unemployed:
8.3%
No. unemployed:
399,900
Source: BLS
Honolulu
Percent unemployed:
4.8%
No. unemployed:
21,600
Hawaii
Percent unemployed:
5.3%
No. unemployed:
34,400
Source: BLS
Coeur d'Alene
Percent unemployed:
7.7%
No. unemployed:
5,600
Idaho
Percent unemployed:
6.6%
No. unemployed:
50,700
Source: BLS
Rockford
Percent unemployed:
10.5%
No. unemployed:
17,700
Illinois
Percent unemployed:
8.2%
No. unemployed:
545,600
Source: BLS
Terre Haute
Percent unemployed:
9.8%
No. unemployed:
7,800
Indiana
Percent unemployed:
8%
No. unemployed:
251,600
Source: BLS
Cedar Rapids
Percent unemployed:
4.8%
No. unemployed:
6,800
Iowa
Percent unemployed:
4.5%
No. unemployed:
74,500
Source: BLS
Topeka
Percent unemployed:
6.1%
No. unemployed:
7,200
Kansas
Percent unemployed:
5.2%
No. unemployed:
77,400
Source: BLS
Monroe
Percent unemployed:
4.9%
No. unemployed:
4,000
Louisiana
Percent unemployed:
4.6%
No. unemployed:
95,600
Source: BLS
Lewiston-Auburn
Percent unemployed:
6.7%
No. unemployed:
3,900
Maine
Percent unemployed:
7.0%
No. unemployed:
49,100
Source: BLS
Salisbury
Percent unemployed:
8.6%
No. unemployed:
5,400
Maryland
Percent unemployed:
6.4%
No. unemployed:
199,600
Source: BLS
New Bedford
Percent unemployed:
9.5%
No. unemployed:
8,200
Massachusetts
Percent unemployed:
6.1%
No. unemployed:
212,200
Source: BLS
Detroit-Warren-Livonia
Percent unemployed:
9.7%
No. unemployed:
192,900
Michigan
Percent unemployed:
7.9%
No. unemployed:
363,600
Source: BLS
Duluth
Percent unemployed:
6.7%
No. unemployed:
9,600
Minnesota
Percent unemployed:
5.6%
No. unemployed:
168,300
Source: BLS
Pascagoula
Percent unemployed:
8.5%
No. unemployed:
6,300
Mississippi
Percent unemployed:
8.5%
No. unemployed:
113,100
Source: BLS
St. Louis
Percent unemployed:
7.8%
No. unemployed:
111,300
Missouri
Percent unemployed:
7.1%
No. unemployed:
213,300
Source: BLS
Missoula
Percent unemployed:
5.5%
No. unemployed:
3,200
Montana
Percent unemployed:
5.7%
No. unemployed:
29,300
Source: BLS
Omaha-Council Bluffs
Percent unemployed:
4.2%
No. unemployed:
19,900
Nebraska
Percent unemployed:
3.8%
No. unemployed:
38,500
Source: BLS
Las Vegas-Paradise
Percent unemployed:
10.4%
No. unemployed:
101,300
Nevada
Percent unemployed:
10.2%
No. unemployed:
138,500
Source: BLS
Manchester
Percent unemployed:
5.4%
No. unemployed:
5,700
New Hampshire
Percent unemployed:
5.4%
No. unemployed:
39,500
Source: BLS
Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton
Percent unemployed:
12.9%
No. unemployed:
9,200
New Jersey
Percent unemployed:
9.3%
No. unemployed:
429,000
Source: BLS
Albuquerque
Percent unemployed:
6.3%
No. unemployed:
25,000
New Mexico
Percent unemployed:
6.0%
No. unemployed:
55,900
Source: BLS
New York City
Percent unemployed:
8.7%
No. unemployed:
342,600
New York
Percent unemployed:
7.9%
No. unemployed:
756,200
Source: BLS
Rocky Mount
Percent unemployed:
11.7%
No. unemployed:
8,700
North Carolina
Percent unemployed:
9.0%
No. unemployed:
424,900
Source: BLS
Grand Forks
Percent unemployed:
3.4%
No. unemployed:
1,800
North Dakota
Percent unemployed:
2.8%
No. unemployed:
10,600
Source: BLS
Steubenville-Weirton
Percent unemployed:
9.6%
No. unemployed:
5,200
Ohio
Percent unemployed:
6.5%
No. unemployed:
373,900
Source: BLS
Lawton
Percent unemployed:
6.4%
No. unemployed:
3,000
Oklahoma
Percent unemployed:
4.8%
No. unemployed:
87,500
Source: BLS
Bend
Percent unemployed:
10.4%
No. unemployed:
8,100
Oregon
Percent unemployed:
8.1%
No. unemployed:
159,700
Source: BLS
Scranton—Wilkes-Barre
Percent unemployed:
8.6%
No. unemployed:
25,100
Pennsylvania
Percent unemployed:
7.3%
No. unemployed:
474,000
Source: BLS
Providence-Fall River-Warwick
Percent unemployed:
9.9%
No. unemployed:
69,100
Rhode Island
Percent unemployed:
10.0%
No. unemployed:
56,400
*Note: This metro area includes cities that aren't in Rhode Island
Source: BLS
Sumter
Percent unemployed:
9.7%
No. unemployed:
4,300
South Carolina
Percent unemployed:
8.3%
No. unemployed:
176,800
Source: BLS
Rapid City
Percent unemployed:
4.4%
No. unemployed:
2,900
South Dakota
Percent unemployed:
4.1%
No. unemployed:
18,500
Source: BLS
Brownsville-Harlingen
Percent unemployed:
9.7%
No. unemployed:
15,200
Texas
Percent unemployed:
5.8%
No. unemployed:
737,500
Source: BLS
St. George
Percent unemployed:
6.2%
No. unemployed:
3,500
Utah
Percent unemployed:
4.9%
No. unemployed:
67,300
Source: BLS
Burlington-South Burlington
Percent unemployed:
3.7%
No. unemployed:
4,300
Vermont
Percent unemployed:
4.6%
No. unemployed:
16,300
Source: BLS
Danville
Percent unemployed:
7.7%
No. unemployed:
4,000
Virginia
Percent unemployed:
5.3%
No. unemployed:
228,200
Source: BLS
Longview
Percent unemployed:
9.9%
No. unemployed:
4,200
Washington
Percent unemployed:
7.3%
No. unemployed:
253,600
Source: BLS
Wheeling
Percent unemployed:
7.0%
No. unemployed:
4,700
West Virginia
Percent unemployed:
6.7%
No. unemployed:
53,100
Source: BLS
Racine
Percent unemployed:
7.9%
No. unemployed:
7,800
Wisconsin
Percent unemployed:
6.3%
No. unemployed:
191,700
Source: BLS
Cheyenne
Percent unemployed:
5.5%
No. unemployed:
2,500
Wyoming
Percent unemployed:
5.1%
No. unemployed:
15,400
Source: BLS
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