Slow Growth Combats Unemployment in the Southeast

It can be difficult to picture all of the unemployment around the country, and it may be most helpful to look at the areas that you recruit for in terms of geographic region.  In cities in the southeastern states, many areas face higher unemployment than the national average.

There were some exceptions.  For instance, Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina, notorious for its well-educated population, recorded the lowest unemployment rate (7.6 percent).

In Palm Coast, Florida, 16.0 percent of the citizens reported to be unemployed, the highest in the State of Florida and the Southeast.

Although figures like the unemployment in Palm Coast are enough to feel pessimistic about the state of the economy, there were some signs of economic improvement.  Of all reporting metropolitan areas, nonfarm employment increased in 29 of the 36 metropolitan areas.  The large area in the Southeast with the largest over-the-year percentage increases in employment was Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida (+2.1 percent). The largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment among large areas in the Southeast occurred in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Georgia (?0.6 percent).