Honolulu loses ground among cities with low unemployment
A rise in Honolulu’s unemployment rate to 5.7 percent in September from 5.5 percent in August pushed the city further down on a list of metropolitan areas with the nation’s lowest jobless rates, according to a report released Wednesday.
Honolulu had the 37th lowest unemployment rate in September out of 372 metropolitan areas surveyed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That was down from 21st lowest in August and 15th lowest in July.
Despite the increase in the jobless rate, Honolulu remained well below the national average unemployment rate for September of 9.1 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis. Honolulu was one of 61 metropolitan areas where the unemployment rate rose in September from August. The jobless rate fell in 280 metro areas and was unchanged in 31.