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LISEP Local Analysis

Localized economic metrics for the 56 largest metropolitan statistical areas

Select a metropolitan statistical area to see its True Rate of Unemployment (TRU), True Weekly Earnings (TWE), and True Living Cost (TLC).
Double tap any metropolitan statistical area to see its True Rate of Unemployment Out of the Population (TRU OOP), True Weekly Earnings (TWE), and True Living Cost (TLC).
True Rate of Unemployment
The TRU and TRU OOP capture the rate of functional unemployment in each MSA. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the TRU tracks the percentage of the labor force that has no job, works involuntarily part-time (less than 35 hours/week), or earns less than $26,000 (in 2025 dollars) annually before taxes. The TRU OOP tracks the same group of people as a percentage of the entire civilian noninstitutional population (age 16+).
LISEP Local Analysis
LISEP’s True Rate of Unemployment (TRU), TRU Out of the Population (TRU OOP), True Living Cost (TLC), and True Weekly Earnings (TWE) are estimated for each MSA and combined with other metro-specific data to offer a more accurate and detailed understanding of how each MSA is performing.
For an in-depth explanation of the methodology behind these local metrics, please reference LISEP’s TLC & TWE Local Analysis Methodology or download the source data.
True Weekly Earnings
The TWE measures the weekly earnings of all members of the workforce — including the part-time and jobless who are seeking work. Using data compiled by the BLS, LISEP calculates the median earnings of everyone who is employed or actively seeking employment — taking the median earnings of the whole U.S. labor force as defined by the BLS.
True Living Cost
The TLC is a cost-of-living metric that tracks cost changes for essential items such as housing, food, transportation, medical care, childcare, technology, and personal care and household items. It estimates these costs across eight different family structures, accounting for the number of adults and children in the household and the basic needs associated with maintaining employment and running a household.
Aguadilla-Isabela, PR
Albany, GA
Albany-Lebanon, OR
Alexandria, LA
Altoona, PA
Ames, IA
Anchorage, AK
Anniston-Oxford, AL
Arecibo, PR
Bay City, MI
Beckley, WV
Bellingham, WA
Bismarck, ND
Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA
Brunswick, GA
Cape Girardeau, MO-IL
Carson City, NV
Casper, WY
Cheyenne, WY
Columbia, MO
Columbus, IN
Corvallis, OR
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL
Cumberland, MD-WV
Dalton, GA
Danville, IL
Decatur, AL
Decatur, IL
Dothan, AL
Dubuque, IA
Duluth, MN-WI
Eau Claire, WI
El Centro, CA
Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
Elmira, NY
Enid, OK
Fairbanks, AK
Flagstaff, AZ
Fond du Lac, WI
Gadsden, AL
Gettysburg, PA
Grand Forks, ND-MN
Grand Island, NE
Grand Junction, CO
Grants Pass, OR
Great Falls, MT
Guayama, PR
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS
Hammond, LA
Harrisonburg, VA
Hattiesburg, MS
Hinesville, GA
Homosassa Springs, FL
Hot Springs, AR
Houma-Thibodaux, LA
Ithaca, NY
Jackson, TN
Jefferson City, MO
Jonesboro, AR
Joplin, MO
Kankakee, IL
Kingston, NY
Kokomo, IN
La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ
Lawrence, KS
Lawton, OK
Lebanon, PA
Lewiston, ID-WA
Lima, OH
Lincoln, NE
Logan, UT-ID
Longview, WA
Lynchburg, VA
Madera, CA
Manhattan, KS
Mankato, MN
Mansfield, OH
Mayagüez, PR
Merced, CA
Michigan City-La Porte, IN
Midland, MI
Midland, TX
Missoula, MT
Morristown, TN
Muncie, IN
Napa, CA
New Bern, NC
Ocean City, NJ
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
Owensboro, KY
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV
Pittsfield, MA
Pocatello, ID
Ponce, PR
Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY
Pueblo, CO
Punta Gorda, FL
Rapid City, SD
Reno, NV
Rochester, MN
Rocky Mount, NC
Rome, GA
St. Cloud, MN
St. Joseph, MO-KS
San Angelo, TX
San Germán, PR
San Juan-Bayamón-Caguas, PR
Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL
Sebring-Avon Park, FL
Sheboygan, WI
Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
Springfield, OH
State College, PA
Staunton, VA
Sumter, SC
Texarkana, TX-AR
The Villages, FL
Tuscaloosa, AL
Twin Falls, ID
Valdosta, GA
Victoria, TX
Walla Walla, WA
Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH
Wenatchee, WA
Wheeling, WV-OH
Wilmington, NC
Yakima, WA
Yauco, PR
Yuba City, CA
Select any column to sort metropolitan statistical areas by economic metric.