The Washington DC area recorded the lowest jobless rate in December, 3.0%, among U.S. metropolitan areas with populations of 1 million or more, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The Birmingham AL area ranked second at 3.4%, while Detroit registered the highest unemployment rate among large metropolitan areas in December at 8.0%. It was followed by the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario area in Southern California at 6.2%.

Among metropolitan areas of all sizes, the Logan UT area reported the lowest jobless rate at 2.1%. The highest unemployment rate was in El Centro CA at 17.9%.

Overall, 277 of the 369 metropolitan areas posted higher unemployment rates in December 2007 than a year ago, 67 reported lower jobless rates and 25 reported no change.