PROVIDENCE – With a 2.1 percentage point decline, the Providence-Warwick metropolitan area had the largest year-over-year unemployment rate decrease among the 47 metropolitan areas with a population of 1 million or more that saw a decrease in January, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The unemployment rate in January for the Providence-Warwick metropolitan area was 7.3 percent, a 2.1 percentage point drop from January 2014’s 9.4 percent, the agency reported.
Of the 51 metropolitan areas with a population of 1 million or more, Salt Lake City had the lowest unemployment rate in January at 3.6 percent, followed by Austin-Round Rock, Texas, and Oklahoma City, Okla., 3.7 percent each. Memphis, Tenn.-Miss.-Ark., had the highest jobless rate among the large areas, 7.9 percent.
The national unemployment rate in January was 6.1 percent, not seasonally adjusted, a decrease from 7 percent a year earlier.
The federal agency said unemployment rates were lower in January than a year earlier in 339 of the 387 metropolitan areas, higher in 38 areas and unchanged in 10 areas. Three areas had jobless rates of
less than 3 percent and 17 areas had rates of at least 10 percent.
Nonfarm payroll employment also increased over the year in 357 metropolitan areas, decreased in 25 areas, and was unchanged in five areas.
The Providence-Warwick area was one of the areas that experienced an increase, gaining 8,200 jobs for a total of 556,600, a 1.5 percent increase compared with January 2014.
The largest over-the-year employment increases occurred in New York-Newark-Jersey City, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. (+179,600). The largest over-the-year percentage gain in employment occurred in Midland, Texas (+9.3 percent).
The largest over-the-year decrease in employment occurred in Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Miss. (-2,300). The largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment was reported in Carbondale-Marion, Ill. (-1.9 percent).