Springfield metro unemployment rate hits 7.6%

The Springfield metropolitan area's jobless rate jumped nearly a percentage point and a half to 7.6 percent in January, according to data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Springfield's unemployment rate was 6.2 percent in December and just 4.6 percent in January 2008.

About 16,400 of the area's 214,700-person work force were unemployed in January - up by about 3,000 workers since December.

Nationwide, 89 of the 372 metro areas reported jobless rates of at least 10 percent, and 23 areas had rates below 5 percent. The highest rate was in El Centro, Calif., which had 24.2 percent unemployment. Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, La., had the lowest at 3.7 percent.

The U.S. unemployment rate in January was 8.5 percent, up from 5.4 percent a year earlier. Missouri's jobless rate was 8.7 percent in January, compared to 7 percent in December and 5.8 percent in January 2008, according to the BLS.