Unemployment rates fell below 7 percent in a majority of U.S. cities in November, evidence that steady job gains are benefiting most parts of the country.
The Labor Department said Tuesday that rates fell in November from October in 215 of the 372 largest metro areas. Rates were unchanged in 33 and rose in 124.
Rates dropped below 7 percent in 192 cities. That's the first time since the recession ended that more than half of large cities had rates below that threshold.
Here are the 10 cities with the highest unemployment and the 10 with the lowest:
| Best and Worst Metro areas | |
| Figures are in percentages | |
| Highest unemployment rates | Nov. 2012 |
| Yuma, Ariz. | 27.5 |
| El Centro, Calif. | 26.6 |
| Yuba City, Calif. | 15.8 |
| Merced, Calif. | 15.7 |
| Ocean City, N.J. | 14.5 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, N.J. | 14.5 |
| Modesto, Calif. | 14.5 |
| Visalia-Porterville, Calif. | 14.5 |
| Fresno, Calif. | 14.4 |
| Stockton, Calif. | 14.1 |
| Lowest unemployment rates | Nov. 2012 |
| Bismarck, N.D. | 2.6 |
| Fargo, N.D. | 3 |
| Lincoln, Neb. | 3 |
| Midland, Texas | 3 |
| Ames, Iowa | 3.1 |
| Lafayette, La. | 3.1 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, La. | 3.1 |
| Iowa City, Iowa | 3.2 |
| Grand Forks, N.D. | 3.4 |
| Odessa, Texas | 3.6 |
