Jobless Rates In OKC Among Nation's Lowest

Despite the nation's economic woes, jobless rates in the Oklahoma City metro area remain among the lowest in the country.

Sunday, March 8th 2009, 8:57 am

By: News On 6

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Despite the nation's economic woes, jobless rates in the Oklahoma City metro area remain among the lowest in the country.

That's according to a report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The agency reports Oklahoma City's 4.6% unemployment rate is ranked the lowest of the 49 metropolitan areas with a population of 1 million or more in the 2000 census.

The Labor Department reported yesterday the nation's unemployment rate climbed to 8.1% in February. The recession has claimed 4.4 million jobs, the report showed.

The Oklahoma City metropolitan statistical area, which includes Oklahoma, Canadian, Cleveland, Grady, Lincoln, Logan and McClain counties, bested the second-ranked 4.7% rate. That was for
the Washington, D.C.-Arlington, Va.-Alexandria, Va., area that also includes parts of Maryland and West Virginia.

The Oklahoma City metro area's jobless rate also changed the least from December 2007 to December 2008, rising 0.4% from a 4.2% rate.