The Baltimore-Columbia-Towson area of Maryland posted the lowest jobless rate among the 51 largest US metro areas in December 2023 at 2.0%, according to data released Feb. 6 by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

On the flip side, the Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise area in Nevada posted the highest rate among large metro areas at 5.3%.

Among metropolitan areas of all sizes, the Burlington-South Burlington area of Vermont posted the lowest unemployment rate in December at 1.6%. It was followed by the Fargo, North Dakota-Minnesota, metro area and Manhattan, Kansas, metro area at 1.7% each.

El Centro, California, had the highest jobless rate among metropolitan areas of all sizes in December at 18.3%.

Eleven of the most populous metropolitan areas comprise 38 metropolitan divisions, which are essentially separately identifiable employment centers. In December, Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, Florida, had the lowest division unemployment rate at 1.6%. Conversely, Tacoma-Lakewood, Washington, had the highest rate among the divisions at 5.5%.

Unemployment rates were also higher in December than a year earlier in 230 of the 389 metropolitan areas, lower in 128 areas and unchanged in 31 areas.

A total of nine areas had jobless rates of less than 2.0%, and 10 areas had rates of at least 8.0%. The national unemployment rate in December was 3.5%, not seasonally adjusted, up from 3.3% a year earlier.