The unemployment rate was 9.1% in September 2011, unchanged from July to September. The unemployment rate was higher among men age 20 and over (8.8%), compared to women age 20 and over (8.1%). Among youth of both sexes, age 16 to 19 years, the unemployment rate was 24.6%.

The unemployment rate varied by race and ethnicity, with the highest rates among African Americans. The unemployment rate was 16.0% among African Americans of both sexes, compared to 8.0% among whites and 7.8% among Asians (not seasonally adjusted). It was 16.8% among African American men and 13.2% among African American women.The unemployment rate among African American youth, age 16 to 19 years, was 44.2%. The unemployment rate was 11.3% among Hispanics of both sexes: it was 9.3% among Hispanic men and 11.2% among Hispanic women (not seasonally adjusted).

The unemployment rate was highest among those with the lowest levels of education. The rate was 14.0% among people with less than a high school education, 9.7% among high school graduates, 8.4% among those with some college, and 4.2% among those with a bachelor’s degree or higher.

In June 2011, 121 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 10.0%, while 58 areas had rates below 7.0%. The highest unemployment rates were in El Centro, California (28.5%) and Yuma, Arizona (26.9%). The remaining 10 areas with rates of at least 15.0% were all in California. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.toc.htm