A Better St. Louis. Powered by Journalism.
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Print
  • Email

Job talk: Unemployment in metro area hits 11 percent in February

In Economy

5:26 am on Wed, 04.07.10

Posted 10:31 a.m. Wed., 04.07.10 - Unemployment in the St. Louis area hit 11 percent in February, according to numbers released this morning by the U.S. Department of Labor.

That was an increase of 0.3 percent from January's 10.7 unemployment rate, and continues a slow rise from one year ago when unemployment in the metro area was 9.7 percent.

Unemployment in the state of Missouri broke the two-digit ceiling in February to 10.1 percent, up from 9.9 percent in January and 9.4 percent one year ago, according to the monthly report on metropolitan employment by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Illinois registered a slight decrease to 12 percent in February, down from 12.2 percent in January. But the state's jobless rate is still substantially higher than February 2009, when it stood at 9.4 percent.

Overall, February unemployment was higher than a year ago in 347 of the nation's 372 metropolitan areas, with jobless rates of 15 percent or higher in 29 areas. The national unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, was 10.4 percent; it was 8.9 percent in February 2009.

Three California metro areas once again registered the highest jobless rates in the nation: El Centro, 27.2 percent; Merced, 22.1 percent; and Yuba City, 21.6 percent. More than half of the metro areas reporting rates above 15 percent were in California (13 areas) and Michigan (4 areas).

With 4.6 percent unemployment, Fargo, N.D., once again had the nation's lowest unemployment in February, followed by Lincoln, Neb., with 4.9 percent.

Contact Beacon staff writer Mary Delach Leonard.

 

No Comments

Join The Beacon

When you register with the Beacon, you can save your searches as news alerts, rsvp for events, manage your donations and receive news and updates from the Beacon team.

Register Now

Already a Member

Getting around the new site

Take a look at our tutorials to help you get the hang of the new site.

Most Discussed Articles By Beacon Members

Conference of American nuns will mull response to Vatican charges

In Nation

7:55 am on Fri, 08.03.12

Meeting in St. Louis next week, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious will have its first opportunity as an assembled group to consider what to do after the Vatican issued a mandate for change this spring. It calls on the conference to reorganize and more strictly observe church teachings.

The 'free' Zoo

In Commentary

7:51 am on Tue, 05.22.12

When a family of four goes to the St. Louis Zoo, they can be forgiven for not knowing it will cost them $60, $72 if they park. If they can't pay, the alternative is to tell the kids they can't do what kids do at the zoo.

Featured Articles

Featured Articles

Pirates are first to land on Opera Theatre's shore

In Performing Arts

12:24 am on Mon, 05.20.13

“We speak in old language in a new witty way with contemporary feel,” Sean Curran said about the OTSL production of "Pirates of Penzance," which is set in the 1870s. Much of the Gilbert and Sullivan satire, however, focuses on still-relevant human foibles, government officials’ ineptitude and opera excesses.

Featured Articles

Save that dirt, Howard Buffett says

In Science

11:09 am on Wed, 05.15.13

Speaking to reporters at Monsanto, Howard Buffett warned that future generations would foot the bill for irresponsible soil use. He urged leaders to address thorny issues such as malnutrition and environmental destruction.

Arch Grants winners set for debut

In InnovationSTL

11:32 am on Tue, 05.14.13

Twenty winners will split a million dollars and a wide array of professional services after this year's Arch Grants competition. Victors will also see one-on-one business mentoring in their prize package. The diverse group includes everything from biotech concerns to fashion enterprises.

Recent Articles

More Articles

Innovation and entrepreneurial activity are on the rise in St. Louis, especially in bioscience, technology and alternative energy. The Beacon's InnovationSTL section focuses on the people who are part of this wave, what they're doing and how this is shaping our future. To many St. Louisans, this wave is not yet visible. InnovationSTL aims to change that. We welcome you to share your knowledge, learn more about this vibrant trend and discuss its impact.

Featured Articles

Save that dirt, Howard Buffett says

In Science

11:09 am on Wed, 05.15.13

Speaking to reporters at Monsanto, Howard Buffett warned that future generations would foot the bill for irresponsible soil use. He urged leaders to address thorny issues such as malnutrition and environmental destruction.

Supreme Court rules unanimously for Monsanto in Roundup case

In Law Scoop

10:42 pm on Mon, 05.13.13

Vernon Bowman's challenge to Monsanto Co.'s patent on its Roundup Ready soybean seeds was billed as a David vs. Goliath contest. Goliath won and won big. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that an Indiana soybean farmer had violated Monsanto's patent on its genetically engineered soybean seeds.

Featured Articles

College costs - easy to attack, hard to solve

In Commentary

6:12 am on Tue, 05.21.13

Paying professors less, increasing online courses and raising class size might make the bill cheaper, but the value of the degree will be less, as well. It's not that there are no solutions, but the easy ones create their own problems.

U.S. Grant and the Battle of Vicksburg

In Commentary

12:22 am on Mon, 05.20.13

When the Civil War broke out, Grant rejoined the military. He may not have liked it, but it was what he was good at: fighting. The battle that cemented his reputation began 150 years ago yesterday.

Is political ethics an oxymoron?

In Commentary

12:22 am on Mon, 05.20.13

Democracy is our answer to perhaps our most difficult ethical problem: How do we ethically protect the social cooperation that makes our society strong, while respecting the rights of individuals to pursue vastly divergent visions of the good life and deeply conflicting moral and political beliefs?

Featured Events:

More About The Beacon Home