Double digit unemployment in 16 American cities, March 21, 2015, Central CA southern NJ, El Centrino 21.3 percent, Ocean City NJ 18 percent

From 24/7wallst.com March 21, 2015.

“16 American Cities With Double-Digit Unemployment”

“The recession has passed for most of America as unemployment has dropped to a traditional recovery level of 5.5%. Most months, the economy adds 200,000 jobs or more. The residents of several cities, mostly concentrated in central California and southern New Jersey, have not been so fortunate. They are among the 16 American metro areas where the jobless rate remains in the double digits.

Most of these cities are in the inland valleys of California, where the agriculture industry has been ruined, to a great extent because of drought, and almost all forecasts indicate that the drought will persist. The U.S. Drought Monitor shows most of these cities suffer from “exceptional drought,” the worst level. El Centrino has an unemployment rate of nearly four times the national average, at 21.3%, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics measures for February. The number has barely changed since the same month a year ago.”

“One other large pocket of high unemployment is in Atlantic City, where unemployment is 12.5%. The casino industry has withered rapidly there. Ocean City sits just south of Atlantic City, and its unemployment rate is 18.0%. The unemployment rate in Vineland, just inland from Atlantic City, is 11.2%.

The final city with a double-digit unemployment rate is Yuma, Ariz., which is another city with low median income.

Almost all these cities not only have high unemployment, but also jobless rates that are unlikely to improve.”
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