In July 2025, unemployment rates rose in nearly half of US metropolitan areas compared to the previous year, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of the 387 metro areas, 190 saw higher jobless rates, 170 saw declines, and 27 remained unchanged. Rapid City and Sioux Falls had the lowest unemployment rates at 1.7%, while El Centro, California, recorded the highest at 20.2%. Nonfarm employment grew in just 34 metro areas, with the most significant gains seen in New York City, Philadelphia, and Houston. Overall, the national unemployment rate remained steady at 4.6%, with most areas reporting little change in employment trends. They write:
Unemployment rates were higher in July than a year earlier in 190 of the 387 metropolitan areas, lower in 170 areas, and unchanged in 27 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. A total of 31 areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent and 10 areas had rates of at least 8.0 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 34 metropolitan areas and was essentially unchanged in 353 areas. The national unemployment rate in July was 4.6 percent, not seasonally adjusted, little changed from 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 people 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 July, Rapid City, SD, and Sioux Falls, SD-MN, had the lowest unemployment rates, 1.7 percent each. El Centro, CA, had the highest rate, 20.2 percent. A total of 239 areas had July jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 4.6 percent, 139 areas had rates above it, and 9 areas had rates equal to that of the nation.
The largest over-the-year unemployment rate increases in July occurred in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX, and Eagle Pass, TX (+1.5 percentage points each). Seven other areas had rate increases of at least 1.0 percentage point. Fort Wayne, IN, had the largest over-the-year rate decrease in July (-1.7 percentage points). Four other areas had rate declines of at least 1.0 percentage point.
Of the 56 metropolitan areas with a 2020 Census population of 1 million or more, Urban Honolulu, HI, had the lowest jobless rate in July, 2.5 percent. Fresno, CA, had the highest rate, 8.6 percent. Thirty-two large areas had over-the-year unemployment rate increases, 21 had decreases, and 3 had no change. The largest rate increase occurred in Cleveland, OH (+0.8 percentage point). The largest jobless rate decline occurred in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (-1.0 percentage point).
Metropolitan Division Unemployment (Not Seasonally Adjusted):
Thirteen of the most populous metropolitan areas are made up of 37 metropolitan divisions, which are essentially separately identifiable employment centers. In July, Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL, had the lowest division unemployment rate, 2.8 percent. Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, MI, had the highest rate among the divisions, 6.9 percent.
In July, 22 metropolitan divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate increases, 13 had decreases, and 2 had no change. The largest increase occurred in Arlington-Alexandria-Reston, VA-WV (+0.8 percentage point). The largest unemployment rate decline from July 2024 occurred in Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg, IL (-0.9 percentage point).
Metropolitan Area Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted):
In July 2025, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 34 metropolitan areas and was essentially unchanged in 353 areas. The largest over-the-year employment increases occurred in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (+157,500), Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (+65,300), and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX (+62,600). The largest over-the-year percentage gains in employment occurred in Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC (+6.2 percent), Rochester, MN (+5.9 percent), and College Station-Bryan, TX (+4.9 percent).
Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 14 metropolitan areas with a 2020 Census population of 1 million or more and was essentially unchanged in 42 areas. The largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment in these large metropolitan areas occurred in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (+2.8 percent), followed by Salt Lake City-Murray, UT, and San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX (+2.4 percent each).
Metropolitan Division Nonfarm Employment (Not Seasonally Adjusted):
In July, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 6 metropolitan divisions and was essentially unchanged in 31 divisions. The largest over-the-year increases in employment among the metropolitan divisions occurred in New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ (+129,800), Philadelphia, PA (+28,400), and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL (+22,100).
The largest over-the-year percentage increases in employment occurred in Camden, NJ (+3.0 percent), Philadelphia, PA (+2.8 percent), and New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ (+2.0 percent).
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