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DC metro unemployment rate falls to pandemic-era low 2.9%

The D.C. metro area’s unemployment rate fell to 2.9% in February, down from 3.0% in January and 3.2% a year earlier, according to the .

Among cities with a population of at least one million, Birmingham, Alabama and Miami tied for the lowest unemployment rate, at 2.2%. Las Vegas still has the highest big city jobless rate, at 6.0% in February.



Among all metros, Ames, Iowa, and Madison, Wisconsin had the lowest unemployment rates, at 1.9% in February. El Centro, California again had the highest at 15.6%.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics also reports that unemployment rates were lower in February than a year ago in 228 of the 389 metropolitan areas, higher in 131 and unchanged in 30. A total of 95 metro areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0%, and 12 had rates of 8.0% or higher.

Unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics posts monthly metropolitan area unemployment rates and changes in civilian labor force.

Jeff Clabaugh

Jeff Clabaugh has spent 20 years covering the Washington region's economy and financial markets for ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½ as part of a partnership with the Washington Business Journal, and officially joined the ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½ newsroom staff in January 2016.

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