(RTTNews) - Wednesday morning, the Department of Labor released its report on metropolitan area employment in the month of July, showing that unemployment continued to increase in a vast majority of the nation’s metropolitan areas.

The Labor Department said that unemployment rates showed annual growth in 338 of the 369 metropolitan areas in July, while unemployment was lower in 25 areas and unchanged in 6 areas.

The report also showed that eleven metropolitan areas recorded jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent, while nine areas registered rates below 3.0 percent

El Centro, California continued to record the highest unemployment rate in July at 23.3 percent, with the adjacent area of Yuma, Arizona coming in second at 20.0 percent.

On the other end of the spectrum, Sioux Falls, South Dakota again registered the lowest jobless rate at 2.4 percent. Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Rapid City, South Dakota reported the next lowest rates at 2.5 percent each.

The Labor Department is scheduled to release its report on the national employment situation in the month of August next Friday.

Economists currently expect the report to show a decrease of about 70,000 jobs in August following a decrease of 51,000 jobs in July. The unemployment rate is expected remain unchanged at 5.7 percent.

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