Though the United States has largely bounced back from the recession, with the national unemployment reaching pre-2008 levels, recovery across states and cities has been uneven.
While unemployment is only 2.1 percent in Hawaii as of July, for example, Alaska’s rate is at 6.9 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Likewise, rates across U.S. cities vary significantly. The unemployment rate isn’t just a useless statistic. It’s an important factor in economic growth and development, and it has an impact on career prospects.
In addition to states, cities and metro areas across the U.S. are ranked regularly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics by unemployment rates. Based on the latest available data as of July, here are the 15 metro areas with the highest unemployment rates in the country.
Numbers for unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.