Top Three Markets Have Lost Most Jobs

So much for green shoots, at least in the labor market.

Unemployment rates were higher in July in all of the U.S.’s 372 metropolitan areas, with 19 areas showing jobless rates of 15 percent or more.

The biggest cities saw the biggest declines in raw job numbers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But smaller cities saw higher rates of unemployment.

Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago have seen the biggest job losses as the recession has worn on through the year.

The Los Angeles area lost 240,100 jobs from July 2008 to July 2009, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Chicago lost 206,200 jobs, and New Yorkers said good-bye to 157,900 jobs.

Phoenix, Detroit, and Atlanta also registered job losses of more than 100,000 jobs so far this year.

But while the biggest cities saw the biggest declines in raw job numbers, jobless rates were highest elsewhere. El Centro, California, had the highest jobless rate in the country, at 30.2 percent. The Yuma, Arizona, jobless rate was 26.2 percent.

In July, 139 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 10 percent, compared to 14 areas last year.

So for those of you wondering when consumers might shake off their doldrums, here’s a hint. There’ll probably be a little more buying when there’s a less loss in the job market.