The New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner metropolitan area in Louisiana reported the lowest jobless rate in February, 5.3%, among all U.S. metropolitan areas with populations of 1 million or more, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The Oklahoma City OK area posted the second-lowest rate in February at 5.6% — it had registered the lowest unemployment rate among large metropolitan areas in January.

Again, the Detroit area posted the highest jobless rate among large metropolitan areas in February at 13.6%. The Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario area in Southern California followed at 12.2%.

El Centro CA registered the highest unemployment rate for metropolitan areas of all sizes in February at 24.5%. Of the 14 areas with jobless rates of at least 15.0%, 10 were located in California.

The Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux LA area posted the lowest jobless rate among all metropolitan areas in February at 3.5%.