In October, 124 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent, up from 13 areas a year earlier, while 75 areas posted rates below 7.0 percent, down from 280 areas in October 2008.
El Centro, Calif., and neighboring Yuma, Ariz., continued to record the highest unemployment rates, 30.0 and 23.5 percent, respectively. Among the 15 areas with jobless rates of at least 15.0 percent, 9 were located in California and 3 were in Michigan. Bismarck, N.D., registered the lowest unemployment rate in October, 2.8 percent, followed by Fargo, N.D.-Minn., and Grand Forks, N.D.-Minn., 3.5 percent each.
Overall, 138 areas recorded unemployment rates above the U.S. figure of 9.5 percent, 229 areas reported rates below it, and 5 areas had the same rate.
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