Unemployment in DC metro area ticks up

Unemployment rates in February were slightly higher than a year ago in 247 of the 389 metro areas, including the D.C. metro area.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics report released Wednesday shows the Washington, D.C. metro unemployment rate in February was 3%, up from 2.8% in January and 2.8% in February 2023. Arlington and Alexandria are included in that region.

The unemployment rate in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, Maryland, metro area was 2.8%.

Metro unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

In February, 54 metro areas had unemployment rates that were below 3%, and 13 had unemployment rates of at least 8%.

Including metro areas with a population of 1 million or more, Nashville had the lowest jobless rate, at 2.2%. San Bernardino, California, had the highest at 5.5%.

Among all metro areas, Ames, Iowa, had the lowest February unemployment rate at 1.9%, followed by Burlington, Vermont, at 2%. El Centro, California had the highest unemployment rate, at 17.2%.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics posts metro area unemployment rates and changes in civilian payroll online.