The unemployment rate declined in 73 percent of U.S. metropolitan areas in June, according to a government report, while rising or staying the same in the rest. Meanwhile, another report said initial claims for jobless benefits dropped, and wages were up.
That's the good news, that fewer people are seeking benefits. The not-so-good news is the context. The number of people applying totaled 326,000 last week, down 19,000 from the week before. However, the overall national unemployment rate remains 7.8 percent, and there are still many millions out of work. Granted, some of those seeking work are newly minted graduates, but that happens every June, and statisticians take that into account when dealing with the figures.
In any case, new national numbers are due out tomorrow.
Meanwhile, metro area unemployment figures ranged from a high of 31.8 percent in Yuma, Arizona, and 23.6 percent in El Centro, California, to a low of 2.8 percent in Bismarck, North Dakota.
And the largest increase in newly employed workers happened in the Greater New York metropolitan area, which added 144,000 jobs over the year since last June. That metro area, however, includes not only New York City, with its population of almost 10 million, but also the population of Northern New Jersey, Northeast Pennsylvania, and Long Island.
So if you're one of the lucky 144,000 in the New York region who snagged a job, congratulations. If you're elsewhere in the country and are still looking, good luck to you.
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