The Bureau of Labor Statistics continues to release positive news about America’s workforce. In June, the national jobless rate was 3.8%, compared to 6.1% in the same month in 2021.
The BLS also releases unemployment by state and 389 metros. In June, the figure was better in 288 of these, according to the METROPOLITAN AREA EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT — JUNE 2022 report.
When looked at through another prism, the figures were even better. A total of 189 metros had jobless rates below the national number.
The range of unemployment across the cities measured was considerable. In Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the figure was 1,8%, which means nearly everyone has a job. At the high end, the unemployment rate in Yuma, Arizona, was 17.2%.
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Only one other metro in America had double-digit unemployment in July. The figure in El Centro, California, was 13.0%.
The Census Bureau shows a population of 97,093 for Yuma City. Of these, nearly 60% are Hispanic or Latino. The city is poor by other measures. The median home value is only $152,400, which is sharply below the national average. Median household income is also low at $52,183.
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Yuma’s jobless rate has been well above the national average for years. Agriculture is among the largest industries. The U.S. Drought Monitor shows it is in a drought-stricken area. That means the industry is likely to be crippled. The huge Colorado River, which provides water for much of the southwest United States, has started to dry up. It enters the Gulf of California near Yuma.
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Yuma is among a small number of cities in the United States that will never have a low jobless rate. It sits in a part of the country where there is evidence of America’s greatest problems.
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