Author: Vince Veneziani and Antonina Jedrzejczak

First, we brought you America’s cities with the lowest unemployment rates around. It’s good to see that not all of America is struggling to produce jobs for its citizens.

But now we’re back with a much darker list: 20 American cities with the worst unemployment rates around. Forged by data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these cities seriously need to come up with contingency plans before it becomes too late.

After all, no one wants to become the next Camden, New Jersey.

Bend, Oregon: 15.8% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

Tourism  is one of Bend’s largest sectors. The Mount Bachelor ski resort brings in tourists from all over Oregon, Washington, and California. The nearby Cascade Lakes are also a large draw for tourists. Recreational activities include downhill and cross country skiing, hiking, biking, rafting, golfing, camping, fishing, picnicking, rock climbing, and general sightseeing.

Bend is also home to the Deschutes Brewery, the largest of several microbreweries in the city. Since 2004, Bend has also hosted the Bend Film Festival.

In 2005, Bend’s economic profile comprised five industry categories: tourism (7,772 jobs); healthcare and social services (6,062 jobs); professional, scientific and technical services (1,893 jobs); wood products manufacturing (1,798 jobs); and recreation and transportation equipment (1,065 jobs).

Much of Bend’s rapid growth in recent years is also due to its attraction as a retirement destination. The rapid population growth has fostered organizations such as Central Oregon Landwatch and Oregon Solutions.

Source: BLS.gov

Monroe, Michigan: 16.0% Unemployment Rate

Monroe is a suburb of Detroit, Michigan, which is an epicenter of the automobile and manufacturing industry.

Source: BLS.gov

Flint, Michigan: 16.3% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

Flint is most known for being the birthplace of General Motors, and the Flint Sit-Down Strike of 1936–37 that played a vital role in the formation of the United Auto Workers. It has also become a symbol of the decline in the auto industry. Flint area native Michael Moore created the 1989 documentary film Roger & Me, dealing with the impact that the closure of several of Flint’s General Motors manufacturing plants in the late 1980s had on Flint and the surrounding area’s population. The city is often mentioned, and featured at various lengths, in most Moore documentaries.

The headquarters of Citizens Republic Bancorp (formerly known as Citizens Commercial and Savings Bank) has remained in its original location in downtown Flint since its formation in 1871.

Source: BLS.gov

Ocean City, New Jersey: 16.3% Unemployment Rate

Ocean City, New Jersey is a large tourist beach in southern New Jersey. It is known for a large boardwalk featuring rides, shops, and other amusements. Its main industry centers around tourism.

Source: BLS.gov

Muskegon-Norton Shores, Michigan: 16.5% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

Norton Shores might best be described as a suburban environment with a balance of industrial and commercial development. It has also led the county in residential construction permits for the past five years. The city offers educational opportunities from the Mona Shores Public Schools to Muskegon Community College, Baker College and Grand Valley State University.

Agriculture also appears to be a big part of Norton Shores’ economy.

Source: BLS.gov

Palm Coast, Florida: 16.6% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

Industrial parks within this town currently house more than 30 mid-size businesses with the largest one, the “Palm Coast Data” company, employing close to 1,000 people. Flagler County has had one of the highest rates of population growth in the United States since 1990, according to the U.S. Bureau of the Census. However, the area was hit extremely hard by the housing bust’s recession. In December 2009, it had the worst unemployment rate of the state of Florida’s largest metropolitan areas, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.The unemployment rate was 16.9 percent.

Source: BLS.gov

Salinas, California: 16.8% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

Salinas is known as the Salad Bowl of America or Salad Bowl of the World. Over 80% of the lettuce grown in the United States is grown in the Salinas Valley. The city’s labor force is 54.6% blue collar and 45.4% white collar. According to the 2000 US Census, 24% of the population worked in sales and office occupations, 21.4% worked in management, professional, and related occupations, 16.2% worked in service occupations, 14.9% worked in farming, fishing, and forestry occupations, 14.4% worked in production, transportation, and material moving occupations, and 9.1% worked in construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations. Many believe these numbers are skewed as they do not include a significant portion of farm workers and blue collar workers who are migratory and undocumented, and are present for approximately 9 months of the year.

Source: BLS.gov

Madera-Chowchilla, California: 17.5% Unemployment Rate

Source: BLS.gov

Redding, California: 17.7% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

In recent decades an influx of retirees from the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles seeking lower cost housing and a slower pace of life has caused a shift in the city’s economic base towards the service sectors of medical, legal, retail and tourism. However, the unemployment rate is still consistently above the state average, and with few industrial jobs, wages tend to be low.

Source: BLS.gov

Rockford, Illinois: 17.9% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

The Rockford economy has suffered since the decline of the manufacturing industry in the late 1980s. Once a national leader in manufacturing and industry, the focus of the local economy has been forced to change. Many of the “family-owned” companies that once inhabited Rockford were bought out by larger companies, the larger companies then relocated the products being made to lower wage parts of the United States or sent them overseas altogether. The city’s new focus relies on high-technology businesses, tourism generated by outstanding museums and a great park system, and the westward growth of the Chicago metropolitan area.

As of 2006, new commercial and residential development is taking place in the downtown area. The city is also considering plans for a Convention Center, Casino, and Riverwalk. The Main Street Corridor (Illinois Route 2) is also expected to be redeveloped. Construction from the downtown area, south to US Highway 20 was expected to begin in 2007. Plans for 2007 also mark a major renovation of the MetroCentre in downtown Rockford.

Source: BLS.gov

Bakersfield-Delano, California: 18.3% Unemployment Rate

The city’s economy relies on agriculture, petroleum extraction and refining, and manufacturing, according to Wikipedia.

Source: BLS.gov

Stockton, California: 18.4% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

Although historically an agriculturally  based community, Stockton’s economy has since diversified into many other areas. These include telecommunications and manufacturing among others. Because of the new focus on renewable energy, the proximity to agriculture will become even more important in the future as research and development combine agriculture with alternative fuels.

Stockton is centrally located relative to both San Francisco and Sacramento. Given its location, its proximity to the state and interstate freeway system, and relatively inexpensive land costs, several companies base their regional operations in Stockton. These include Duraflame, Pac-West Telecommunications, Golden State Lumber Company and several others.

Stockton is rapidly becoming the community of choice for companies looking for an area to move or expand industries related to renewable energy. The Port of Stockton is one of the largest receivers of wind turbines in the world. Stockton’s rail capacity makes distribution from the Port seamless. The sun and wind potential in Stockton is among some of the best in the country and with 2,000 acres (8.1 km2) available, the Port is already home to biodiesel and ethanol plants. The City of Stockton and the Port have worked in partnership to focus resources on developing green sustainable industry. The City of Stockton has been leading the way with their own policies for supporting green and renewable technologies. Stockton is working with local educational institutions, including high schools, community colleges, and four year universities, to educate the workforce for the booming renewable energy industry.

Source: BLS.gov

Hanford-Corcoran, California: 18.6% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

Hanford is a major trading center serving the surrounding agricultural area. According to the California Employment Development Department, as of January 2007, most residents of the Hanford area were employed in services (29,200 employees), government (14,300 employees) and farming (7,600 employees) as well as in some manufacturing enterprises (3,400 employees).

The heavy industry sector has declined significantly over the past 20 years. An oil refinery formerly operated in the city under several different owners (Caminol Oil Co. from 1932-1967, Beacon Oil Co. from 1967-1982 and Ultramar Oil Co. from 1982-1987) until it permanently closed in 1987. A tire manufacturing plant was built in 1962 by the Armstrong Rubber Co., which operated it until that company was purchased by the Italian manufacturer Pirelli, which eventually closed the factory in 2001. On December 11, 2007, the Hanford City Planning Commission approved construction of a plant that is expected to produce 60 million gallons (227 million liters) of ethanol per year for use as a gasoline additive and alternative fuel for vehicles. Most of the feedstock will be corn shipped from the Midwest. The proposed plant would be operated by Great Valley Ethanol LLC and was expected to open in 2010. However, in March 2009, the president of Great Valley Ethanol stated that difficulty in obtaining financing and the low price of gasoline had delayed the opening.

The retail sector is growing with taxable sales of USD 414.7 million reported in 2002, up by 4.6% from 2001.

Source: BLS.gov

Fresno, California: 18.7% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

Fresno serves as the economic hub of Fresno County and California’s Central Valley. The unincorporated area and rural cities surrounding Fresno remain predominantly tied to large-scale agricultural production.

Fresno is unique in that it is home to many business incubators that serve as a resource hub for business entrepreneurs and new companies. Some of these incubators are found at California State University, Fresno. Many of the businesses formed at the incubators have gone on to become internationally known in the business world. Some of the businesses involved range from environmental engineering to fashion designers.

Fresno is also home to many military and naval bases.

Source: BLS.gov

Modesto, California, 19.2% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

Modesto has a large agricultural industry which is based on the fertile farmland surrounding the city. Despite this the city has traditionally had above average unemployment rates. In October 2009, MSN Money reported Modesto’s unemployment rate at 16.6% while the rest of the U.S. was reporting an unemployment rate of around 10%. Blue Diamond Growers, a nearby almond factory in Salida, is a major nut  supplier. Modesto is also home to the largest winery in the world: E & J Gallo Winery. Founded in 1933 by brothers Ernest and Julio Gallo, the company continually revolutionizes the wine industry in America. The Gallo Glass Company, a company of Gallo Winery, is the largest wine bottle manufacturing company in the world. The company provides thousands of office and manufacturing jobs to Stanislaus County residents.

Other major privately owned companies based in Modesto include Foster Farms Dairy, Royal Robbins, international award winner Fiscalini Cheese, Sciabica Olive Oil, Acme Construction, Aderholt Specialty, and 511 Tactical (formerly a part of Royal Robbins). A cannery downtown produces food which is usually shipped to Sacramento and Fresno for transfer to rail or ship. Ceres has a few cereal and snack factories in the area. Downtown there are several small steelworking  companies. In mid-2008, a number of road projects were being constructed, repaved or repaired, with an estimated total cost of nearly $120,000,000.

Source: BLS.gov

Visalia-Porterville, California: 19.4% Unemployment Rate

Agriculture forms the backbone of the Visalia area. The cities are surrounded by fertile land that export an abundance of crops, most notably cotton and milk. Tulare County, which encompasses the metro area, is the most productive county in the United States in terms of agricultural revenues, making US$3.5 billion in 2001, according to Wikipedia.

Source: BLS.gov

Yuma, Arizona: 19.9% Unemployment Rate

High unemployment remains an issue in Yuma. Citing April 2009 data, the Bureau of Labor Statistics ranked Yuma as #2 among the 13 U.S. cities that post unemployment rates above 15 percent. Yuma came in at 20.3 percent, under the 26.9 percent in El Centro, California. Yuma’s agricultural workforce, which adjusts to the picking season, is cited as the reason for the high unemployment by the Arizona Department of Commerce, according to Wikipedia.

Source: BLS.gov

Yuba City, California: 21.7% Unemployment Rate

Source: BLS.gov

Merced, California: 22.1% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

The economy has traditionally relied upon agribusiness and upon the presence of Castle Air Force Base. Over the past twenty years, more diversified industry has entered the area, including printing, fiberglass boat building, warehousing and distribution, and packaging industries.

In September 1995, Castle Air Force Base closed after phasing down over the previous three years. This has affected residential real estate and some sectors of the retail and service economies, but overall retail has continued to increase. No significant increase in unemployment has been noted. Re-use of the former base is actively proceeding. Industrial development is increasing in the area.

Since 1992, more than 400,000 square feet of new industrial activity has started. In May 1995, Merced was selected as the home of the next University of California campus. UC Merced opened with its first 1,000 students in September 2005. Local planning is underway to accommodate campus development, will eventually accommodate about 25,000 students.

Source: BLS.gov

El Centro, California: 27.0% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

As of 2009 the employment of El Centro residents is dominated by the local government, California state government, and federal government. Two nearby prisons and the U.S. Border Patrol provide employment; The Economist states that the prisons and border patrol were “relatively untouched” by the late-2000s recession. The El Centro area has many farming plots, where carrots, lettuce, and other crops are produced, and therefore the El Centro economy is subject to seasonal variations like other farming areas. Between November and March in winter periods, El Centro-area farmers harvest lettuce for $8–10 per hour. During March the harvest moves to the north and is no longer in El Centro; in previous eras farmers migrated, while in the 2000s many collect unemployment benefits during the summer.

El Centro is surrounded by thousands of acres of farmland that has transformed the desert into one of the most productive farming regions in California with an annual crop production of over $1 billion. Agriculture is the largest industry in Imperial County and accounts for 48% of all employment.

Being the commercial center of Imperial County, fifty percent of the jobs in the El Centro come from the service and retail sector.

Source: BLS.gov

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Since the financial crisis hit in 2007, unemployment has been one of the most talked about numbers in the media.

The US as a whole is hovering over the 10% mark and if you take a look at underemployment numbers, it becomes even grimmer. But keep the hope alive, because according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, there are  hundreds of cities in the United States that have kept their unemployment rate under 10% and that’s a good thing.

So who has done the best job of keeping unemployment to a minimum? Let’s examine the 20 cities where being out of work isn’t a huge concern.

Lake Charles, Louisiana: 5.8% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

Thousands in the Lake Area are employed by the petro-chemical refineries located across the river near Sulphur and Westlake. Some of the corporations with facilities in or around the city include PPG Industries, ConocoPhillips, and Citgo Petroleum Corporation. The Trunkline LNG terminal, immediately southwest of Lake Charles, is one of the United States’ few LNG terminals. It has facilities for LNG receipt, storage, and re-gasification. Lake Charles Cogeneration, a subsidiary of Leucadia National, began construction of a $1.6 billion petroleum coke gasification plant in early 2009.

Manufacturing has been beginning to achieve economic success in the area in order to diversify the economic base of the city. Chennault International Airport hosts Aeroframe, which services airplanes, and a Northrop Grumman facility. Louisiana Geothermal of Lake Charles will begin construction of a geothermal electric plant. Aeroframe recently announced it will add 300 aerospace jobs at Chennault. The Shaw Group has built a large manufacturing facility which will manufacture parts for nuclear power plants. The company has assured the city and residents that nuclear material and radioactive waste are not involved at the facility. Shaw will employ over one thousand workers when it is up to full capacity.

Source: BLS.gov

Alexandria, Louisiana: 5.8% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

In the early 1800s, the Port of Alexandria brought goods to the area and shipped cotton  and other local products to the rest of the country. A ferry connected the cities of Alexandria and Pineville until a bridge was built across the Red in 1900.

Today, Port facilities include: a 40-ton crane for off-loading, a 15,000-square-foot (1,400 m2) warehouse, 13,600-ton bulk fertilizer warehouse, a 3,400-ton bulk fertilizer dome structure and a 5,000-ton dome which was added in January 2005.

The petroleum off-loading facility includes two 55,000 bbl (8,700 m3) tanks, one-15,000 BBL tank capable of handling two barges and five truck off-loading simultaneously. There is also a general cargo dock with access to rail and a hopper barge unloading dock with conveyor system.

Today’s modern facilities and the Port’s central location with its connection to the Mississippi River provide excellent opportunities for importers and exporters.

Source: BLS.gov

Midland, Texas: 5.7% Unemployment Rate

Midland, Texas is where the Bush family hails from and has economic activity surround energy markets and public service.

Source: BLS.gov

Rapid City, South Dakota: 5.6% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

Rapid City’s economy is diverse, but has only a moderate amount of industry. Heavy and medium industrial activities include a Portland cement plant (constructed and owned for 84 years[18]  by the State of South Dakota and sold in 2003 to GCC, a Mexican-based conglomerate), Black Hills Ammunition an ammunition and reloading supplies manufacturing company, several custom sawmills, a lime plant, a computer peripheral component manufacturing plant, and several farm and ranch equipment manufacturers. Of particular note, Rapid City is the center for the manufacture of Black Hills Gold, a popular product with tourists and Westerners in general. Rapid City is also the location of the only manufacturer of stamping machines used for the labeling of plywood and chipboard products.

Although most gold mining has ceased in the Black Hills and was never done in or near Rapid City, mining of sand and gravel, as well as the raw materials for lime and Portland cement (including chemical-grade limestone, taconite iron ore, and gypsum) remains an important part of the economy.

Source: BLS.gov

Lawrence, Kansas: 5.6% Unemployment

The only thing Lawrence has going for it is a local college and equal rights for many, meaning the local 7-11 must be making a fortune.

Source: BLS.gov

Honolulu, Hawaii: 5.6% Unemployment Rate

Hawaii’s capital serves as hub for air transportation and shipping and has a very large tourism industry.

Source: BLS.gov

Amarillo, Texas: 5.6% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

Amarillo is considered the regional economic center for the Texas Panhandle as well as Eastern New Mexico and the Oklahoma Panhandle. The meat packing industry is a major employer in Amarillo; about one-quarter of the United States’ beef supply is processed in the area. The city is also the location of headquarters for the Texas Cattle Feeders Association. Petroleum extraction is also a major industry. The helium industry has decreased in significance since the federal government privatized local operations in the late 1990s. Bell Helicopter Textron opened a helicopter assembly plant near the city’s international airport in 1999.

The city’s largest employer in 2005 is Tyson Foods, with 3,700 employees. The Amarillo Independent School District is next with 3,659 employees followed by BWXT Pantex, Baptist St. Anthony’s Health Care System, City of Amarillo, Northwest Texas Healthcare System, Amarillo College, and United Supermarkets. Other major employers include Bell Helicopter Textron, Owens-Corning, and ASARCO.

Approximately 14 million acres (57,000 km2) of agricultural land surrounds the city with corn, wheat and cotton as the primary crops. Other crops in the area include sorghum, silage, hay and soybeans.[50] The Texas Panhandle, particularly in Hereford, Texas, serves as a fast growing milk producing area as several multi-million dollar state of the art dairies were built in early 2000s.

The Amarillo Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) is funded by a city sales tax, and it provides aggressive incentive packages to existing and prospective employers. In the mid-to-late 1990s, the AEDC gained notoriety by sending mock checks to businesses across the country, placing full-page advertisements in The Wall Street Journal, and paying an annual $1 million subsidy to American Airlines to retain jet service. The AEDC is largely responsible for bringing Bell Helicopter Textron’s development of the V-22 Osprey hybrid aircraft and the future site of Marine One assembly in Amarillo.

Source: BLS.gov

Logan, Utah: 5.5% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

Logan has a wide diversity of economic sectors with a focus on education, manufacturing and processing, medical services, agriculture, and retail businesses. The city’s largest employer is Utah State University, with other major employers including Icon Health & Fitness, Cache County School District, Logan Regional Hospital, Thermo-Fisher Laboratories, Gossner Foods, and Schreiber Foods.

Source: BLS.gov

Ithaca, New York: 5.5% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

The economy of Ithaca is based on education and manufacturing with high tech and tourism in strong supporting roles. As of 2006, Ithaca remains one of the few expanding economies in economically troubled New York State outside of New York City, and draws commuters from the neighboring rural counties of Cortland, Tioga, and Schuyler, as well as from the more urbanized Chemung County.

With some level of success, Ithaca has tried to maintain a traditional downtown shopping area that includes the Ithaca Commons pedestrian mall and Center Ithaca, a small mixed-use complex built at the end of the urban renewal era. Some in the community regret that downtown has lost vitality to two expanding commercial zones to the northeast and southwest of the old city. These areas contain an increasing number of large retail stores and restaurants run by national chains. Others say the chain stores boost local shopping options for residents considerably, many of whom would have previously shopped elsewhere, while increasing sales tax revenue for the city and county. Still others note that the stores, restaurants, and businesses that remain in downtown are not necessarily in direct competition with the larger chain stores. The tradeoff between sprawl and economic development continues to be debated throughout the city and the surrounding area. (Another commercial center, Collegetown, is located next to the Cornell campus. It features a number of restaurants, shops, and bars, and an increasing number of high rise apartments and is primarily frequented by Cornell University students.)

Ithaca has many of the businesses characteristic of small American university towns: used bookstores, art house cinemas, craft stores, and vegetarian restaurants. The collective Moosewood Restaurant, founded in 1973, was the wellspring for a number of vegetarian cookbooks; Bon Appetit magazine ranked it among the thirteen most influential restaurants of the twentieth century.

Source: BLS.gov

Sioux Falls, South Dakota: 5.4% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

Originally centered on quarrying and agriculturally-based industries, the economy of Sioux Falls has become greatly diversified and more service-based over the last half-century, making the city an important location for financial services, health care, and retail trade.

Partially due to the lack of a state corporate income tax, Sioux Falls is the home of a number of financial companies. The largest employer among these, and fourth largest employer overall, is Citigroup. Other important financial service companies located in Sioux Falls include Great Western Bank, Total Card Inc., Capital Card Services, HSBC, PREMIER Bankcard, and Wells Fargo.

Sioux Falls is a significant regional health care center. There are four major hospitals in Sioux Falls: Sanford Health, Avera McKennan Hospital, the South Dakota Veterans Hospital, and the Avera Heart Hospital of South Dakota. Sanford Health and Avera Health are the largest and second largest employers in the city, respectively.

Because of the relatively long distances between Sioux Falls and larger cities, Sioux Falls has emerged as an important regional center of shopping and dining. The Empire Mall, with over 180 stores, anchors one of the primary retail zones in the southwest section of the city. This area, centered mainly around the intersection of 41st Street and Louise Avenue, contains many large national chain stores and restaurants. Dawley Farm Village is a major commercial development that is being constructed for the east side of Sioux Falls. This major shopping district will be located at the intersection of Arrowhead Parkway (SD Highway 42) and Powder House Road (SD Highway 11). Downtown Sioux Falls is another important retail zone, offering more small, independent shops and restaurants than the Empire Mall area.

While no longer as economically dominant as it once was, the manufacturing and food processing sector remains an important component of the economy of Sioux Falls. The John Morrell meat packing plant is the third largest employer in the city. Other important manufacturing companies include Wheeler Tank Mfg, Maguire Iron, Amesbury Group, Teem, Raven Industries, Bell Incorporated, Tyco, and Gage Brothers.

Source: BLS.gov

Lawton, Oklahoma: 5.4% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

Lawton is primarily centered around government, manufacturing and retail trade industries. Lawton MSA ranks 4th in Oklahoma with Gross Domestic Product of $4.2 Billion produced in 2008 with a majority ($2.1 Billion) in the government sector.[5]  Fort Sill Army Post is the largest employer of jobs in Lawton, employing over 5,000 full time employees. In the private sector, the largest employer is Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company with 2,400 full time employees. Major employers in the Lawton area also include: Lawton Public Schools, Comanche County Memorial Hospital, City of Lawton, Cameron University, and Assurant Solutions.

Lawton includes two major industrial parks. One is located in the southwest region of town while the second is located near the Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport.

At present, the city of Lawton is undertaking the Downtown Revitalization Project. It’s goal is to redesigning the areas between Elmer Thomas Park at the north through Central Mall to the south to be more visually appealing and pedestrian friendly in order to encourage business growth in the area

Source: BLS.gov

Ames, Iowa: 5.4% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

“Ames is home of Iowa State University of Science and Technology, a public land-grant and space-grant research university, and member of the prestigious American Association of Universities. At its founding in 1858, Iowa State was formerly known as the Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. Ames is the home of the closely allied U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Animal Disease Center, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory (a major materials research and development facility), and the main offices of the Iowa State Department of Transportation. State and Federal institutions are the largest employers in Ames. Other area employers include a 3M manufacturing plant; Sauer-Danfoss, a hydraulics manufacturer; Barilla, a pasta manufacturer; and Ball, a manufacturer of canning jars and plastic bottles.”

 

Source: BLS.gov

Grand Forks, North Dakota: 5.3% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

“The economy of Grand Forks is not dominated by any one industry or sector. While agriculture continues to play a role in the area’s economy, the city of Grand Forks now has a relatively diverse economy that includes public and private employers in sectors such as education, defense, health care, manufacturing, and food processing. The state and federal governments are two of the largest employers in the Grand Forks area. The University of North Dakota, located in the heart of the city, is the largest employer in the metropolitan area.   Grand Forks Air Force Base, just west of the city, employs a large number of civilian workers in addition to its enlisted personnel. Altru Health System is the largest private employer in Grand Forks.   Major manufacturers in Grand Forks include wind turbine manufacturer LM Glasfiber   and small aircraft manufacturer Cirrus Design.  Major food producers include potato processor J. R. Simplot Company   and the state-owned North Dakota Mill and Elevator which is the largest flour mill in the United States.   Amazon.com   and SEI Information Technologies  both operate call centers in Grand Forks. Other large private employers in the city include the locally owned Alerus Financial branch of banks, Home of Economy, and the locally owned Hugo’s chain of supermarkets.  

The retail and service sector is also an important part of the economy. The historic center of shopping in Grand Forks was the downtown area. Today, downtown is home to small shops and restaurants and south Grand Forks has become the major retail district in the city^. Grand Forks has three large shopping centers. The oldest, Grand Cities Mall, is located on South Washington Street and contains mainly small, locally owned stores as well as a Kmart. With about 80 stores, the area’s largest indoor mall is Columbia Mall which is anchored by Macy’s, Sears, J.C. Penney, and a large food court. The newest major shopping center in the city is the Grand Forks Marketplace power center mall which features SuperTarget, Best Buy, Lowe’s, Gordmans, and several smaller stores. Depending on the relative strength of the Canadian dollar versus the American dollar, the Greater Grand Forks area attracts large numbers of tourist shoppers from Manitoba and especially from Winnipeg.^“

 

 

Source: BLS.gov

Manhattan, Kansas: 5.2% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

“Manhattan’s economy is heavily based on governmentally-funded entities. Kansas State University is the largest employer in town, and its 23,000 students support the retail and entertainment venues in the city.  The second-largest employer in Manhattan is the city school district. Additionally, nearby Fort Riley also brings in lots of retail business, although the majority of soldiers live either on post or in closer Junction City or Ogden.

Other large employers in Manhattan include the Mercy Regional Health Center and Farm Bureau.Manhattan also supports a small industrial base. Manufacturing and commercial businesses include: GTM Sportswear , Alorica  , Auth-Florence Manufacturing, ICE Corporation , Manko Windows  , The McCall Pattern Company and Farrar Corporation.Some, like GTM and Farrar have had success in the city – as college towns are known to outlive and sustain economic recessions better than most towns due to their economic base.

In 2009, the United States Department of Homeland Security announced that it would locate the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, with construction scheduled to begin in 2010. The NBAF is scheduled to open in 2014, and will be a federal lab to research biological threats involving human, zoonotic (i.e., transmitted from animals to humans) and foreign animal diseases. It is expected to employ between 250–350 people, including researchers, technical support and operations specialists.”

 

Source: BLS.gov

Iowa City, Iowa: 5.1% Unemployment Rate

 

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

 

Source: BLS.gov

Lafayette, Louisiana: 5.0% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

” Lafayette serves as the retail hub of the five parish Acadiana area. One of the major retail areas in Lafayette is the Mall of Acadiana. The mall features department stores Macy’s, Dillards, JC Penney, and Sears. It also includes over 100 specialty stores, such as Express, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters, Talbots, Chico’s, Nine West, and Coldwater Creek. Other stores that have recently located in Lafayette include Kohl’s, Incredible Pizza Co., and Plato’s Closet. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s Lafayette location is the largest discount store in the Academy chain.”

The Oil Center, downtown, and River Ranch offer a more specialized and unique shopping experience.”

 

Source: BLS.gov

Bismarck, North Dakota: 5.0% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

“With over 4,300 employees, the state government of North Dakota is the largest employer in Bismarck. Bismarck’s two major health care providers, St. Alexius Medical Center and Medcenter One Health Systems, together employ about 4,100 people. Other major employers in Bismarck include Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Coventry Health Care, Bismarck Public Schools, Midwest Motor Express, and the United States Federal Government.  

Bismarck is the home of MDU Resources Group, which in 2009 was ranked number 473 on the Fortune 500 list.”

 

Source: BLS.gov

Lincoln, Nebraska: 4.9% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

“Lincoln’s economy is fairly typical of a mid-sized American city; most economic activity is derived from service industries. The state government and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are both large contributors to the local economy. Other prominent industries in Lincoln include medical, banking, information technology, education, call centers, insurance (such as Allstate Insurance subsidiary Lincoln Benefit Life), and rail and truck transport.

One of the largest employers is the BryanLGH Medical Center which consists of two major hospitals and several large outpatient facilities located across the city. Healthcare and medical jobs account for a substantial portion of Lincoln’s employment: as of 2009, full-time healthcare employees in the city included 9,010 healthcare pracitioners in technical occupations, 4,610 workers in healthcare support positions, 780 licensed and vocational nurses, and 150 medical and clinical laboratory technicians.^“ 

 

Source: BLS.gov

Fargo, North Dakota: 4.9% Unemployment Rate

From Wikipedia, a description of the area’s industry:

“The economy of the Fargo area has historically been dependent on agriculture. That dominance has decreased substantially in recent decades. Now, the city of Fargo has a growing economy based on food processing, manufacturing, technology, retail trade, higher education, and healthcare. The largest non-governmental employers in the city include MeritCare, Innovis Health, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, US Bank, and Microsoft. North Dakota State University is the largest public sector employer in the city. In a study published by Forbes, Fargo was ranked the 7th best small city in the nation to start a business or a career.”

Source: BLS.gov

Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, Louisiana: 4.6% Unemployment Rate

This metropolitan area covering two parishes has industry centered in retail and agriculture.

Source: BLS.gov

However, gray skies are coming…

This Coming Barrage Of Bullish Data Will Blow Away The Bears ->

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