Iowa is faring very well amongst the other states in the U.S. having more than one city in the lowest unemployment numbers. In March, 109 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent, up from 14 areas a year earlier, while 95 areas posted rates below 7.0 percent, down from 329 areas in March 2008. El Centro, Calif., recorded the highest unemployment rate, 25.1 percent. The areas with the next highest rates were Merced, Calif., 20.4 percent; Yuba City, Calif., 19.5 percent; and Elkhart-Goshen, Ind., 18.8 percent. Among the 18 areas with jobless rates of at least 15.0 percent, 12 were located in California. Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, La., and Iowa City, Iowa, registered the lowest jobless rates, 3.6 percent each in March, followed closely by Ames, Iowa, at 3.7 percent.
Click Picture to Enlarge.
