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- iHaveNet.com: Economy
by Danielle Kurtzleben
Rust Belt the surprise leader in a small turnaround in the unemployment picture
It's a bit sunnier in the Rust Belt this summer.
In June, the national unemployment rate of 9.2 percent was 0.3 percentage points lower than in June 2010, according to the latest government data. And while it remains hard work to find the fruits of that recovery, such as it is, in the South and Southwest, the cities of the Rust Belt are welcoming a long-awaited sign of relief.
According to preliminary data from the
"I think the best answer is that what goes up must come down," says Daniel Hamermesh, professor of economics at the
Matthew Murray, professor of economics and associate director at the
Of the 100 largest metropolitan areas in the country, these are the 12 cities that have seen the biggest decreases in unemployment from June 2010 through June 2011:
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, Mich. | 10.8 | 8.9 | -1.9 |
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, Ohio | 11.3 | 9.7 | -1.6 |
Las Vegas-Paradise | 15.3 | 13.8 | -1.5 |
Detroit-Warren-Livonia | 13.9 | 12.5 | -1.4 |
Tulsa, Okla. | 8 | 6.6 | -1.4 |
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, Ore. | 10.5 | 9.2 | -1.3 |
Oklahoma City | 6.9 | 5.7 | -1.2 |
Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor | 9.5 | 8.3 | -1.2 |
Indianapolis-Carmel | 9.2 | 8 | -1.2 |
Akron, Ohio | 9.9 | 8.8 | -1.1 |
Cape-Coral-Fort Myers, Fla. | 12.7 | 11.6 | -1.1 |
St. Louis | 10.1 | 9 | -1.1 |
These are the 14 cities with the largest percentage-point increases in their unemployment rates over the last year.
El Paso, Texas | 9.6 | 10.9 | 1.3 |
Memphis, Tenn. | 10 | 10.9 | 0.9 |
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas | 12.1 | 13 | 0.9 |
Fresno, Calif. | 16 | 16.8 | 0.8 |
Augusta-Richmond County, Ga. | 9.2 | 9.9 | 0.7 |
San Antonio-New Braunfels | 7.5 | 8.1 | 0.6 |
Columbia, S.C. | 9.4 | 10 | 0.6 |
Birmingham-Hoover, Ala. | 9.3 | 9.8 | 0.5 |
Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tenn. | 8.6 | 9 | 0.4 |
Little Rock, Ark. | 7.1 | 7.5 | 0.4 |
Knoxville, Tenn. | 7.9 | 8.3 | 0.4 |
Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville, S.C. | 9.4 | 9.8 | 0.4 |
Chattanooga, Tenn. | 8.7 | 9.1 | 0.4 |
Boise City-Nampa, Idaho | 9.3 | 9.7 | 0.4 |
With jobs a top priority for many voters and politicians alike, candidates in the 2012 elections are sure to run on their job-creation plans and records. Hamermesh points to Texas Gov. Rick Perry as an example. The Lone Star State governor, often mentioned as a potential
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Cities Where the Job Outlook Is Improving