Ames, Iowa Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Ames fell 0.1 percentage points in December 2011 to 4.5%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.1 percentage points lower than the Iowa rate. The unemployment rate in Ames peaked in March 2010 at 4.7% and is now 0.2 percentage points lower. You can also compare Ames unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	8.5%	-0.2	-0.9
Iowa	5.6%	-0.1	-0.5
Ames	4.5%	-0.1	-0.2

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with December 2011 data as January metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Ames, Iowa, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Ames, Iowa Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Ames peaked in August 2011 at 2,280. There are now 147 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Ames employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Ames, Iowa) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
Ames	2,133	-51	-140

Number of Unemployed Persons

Ames, Iowa Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Iowa Unemployment Rate	Ames Unemployment Rate	Ames Unemployed
January 2012	8.3%	—	—	—
December 2011	8.5%	5.6%	4.5%	2,133
November 2011	8.7%	5.7%	4.6%	2,184
October 2011	8.9%	6.0%	4.7%	2,260
September 2011	9.0%	6.0%	4.7%	2,264
August 2011	9.1%	6.1%	4.7%	2,280
July 2011	9.1%	6.0%	4.7%	2,263
June 2011	9.1%	6.0%	4.6%	2,225
May 2011	9.0%	6.0%	4.6%	2,237
April 2011	9.0%	6.0%	4.6%	2,251
March 2011	8.9%	6.1%	4.6%	2,250
February 2011	9.0%	6.0%	4.6%	2,253
January 2011	9.1%	6.1%	4.6%	2,275