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 unemployment rates in November for states and cities in the Northeast:
| Metro Area Unemployment Rates, Northeast | |||
| Unemployment rates by state and city | |||
| Figures in percentages | |||
| Nov. 2012 | Oct. 2012 | Nov. 2011 | |
| Connecticut | 8.3 | 8.6 | 7.8 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk | 7.7 | 8.1 | 7.3 |
| Danbury | 6.6 | 6.9 | 6.1 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | 8.2 | 8.6 | 7.8 |
| New Haven | 8.6 | 9 | 8.1 |
| Norwich-New London | 8.8 | 9 | 8.1 |
| Waterbury | 10.7 | 11.1 | 10.2 |
| Maine | 7 | 6.7 | 6.8 |
| Bangor | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.3 |
| Lewiston-Auburn | 6.7 | 6.8 | 6.7 |
| Portland-South Portland-Biddeford | 5.7 | 5.5 | 5.6 |
| Massachusetts | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.4 |
| Barnstable Town | 6.6 | 6.1 | 7 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Quincy | 5.6 | 5.8 | 5.8 |
| Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner | 8.2 | 8.1 | 8.7 |
| New Bedford | 9.5 | 9.2 | 9.5 |
| Pittsfield | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.6 |
| Springfield | 7.2 | 7.3 | 7.3 |
| Worcester | 6.7 | 6.8 | 6.9 |
| New Hampshire | 5.4 | 5.2 | 4.9 |
| Manchester | 5.4 | 5.2 | 4.9 |
| Portsmouth | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 |
| Rochester-Dover | 5.1 | 5 | 4.8 |
| New Jersey | 9.3 | 9.4 | 8.7 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton | 14.5 | 12.9 | 12.3 |
| Ocean City | 14.5 | 11.8 | 14 |
| Trenton-Ewing | 7.4 | 7.8 | 7.2 |
| Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton | 12.9 | 13.3 | 12.4 |
| New York | 7.9 | 8.3 | 7.9 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | 6.8 | 7.2 | 6.8 |
| Binghamton | 8 | 8.3 | 8 |
| Buffalo-Niagara Falls | 7.9 | 8.2 | 7.5 |
| Elmira | 8.5 | 8.8 | 7.8 |
| Glens Falls | 7.6 | 7.4 | 7.7 |
| Ithaca | 5.4 | 5.8 | 5.5 |
| Kingston | 7.9 | 8.4 | 7.7 |
| New York-N. New Jersey-Long Island | 8.4 | 8.7 | 8.2 |
| Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown | 7.4 | 7.8 | 7.2 |
| Rochester | 7.4 | 7.7 | 7.2 |
| Syracuse | 7.9 | 8.2 | 7.8 |
| Utica-Rome | 7.9 | 8 | 7.7 |
| Pennsylvania | 7.3 | 7.4 | 7.3 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | 8 | 8.2 | 8 |
| Altoona | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.4 |
| Erie | 7 | 7 | 7.2 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | 6.6 | 6.8 | 6.7 |
| Johnstown | 8 | 7.9 | 7.8 |
| Lancaster | 6 | 6.2 | 6.3 |
| Lebanon | 6.1 | 6.3 | 6 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | 8 | 8.3 | 8 |
| Pittsburgh | 6.5 | 6.6 | 6.5 |
| Reading | 7.1 | 7.4 | 7.5 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | 8.6 | 8.8 | 8.6 |
| State College | 5 | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| Williamsport | 7.3 | 7.5 | 6.9 |
| York-Hanover | 7 | 7.2 | 7.2 |
| Rhode Island | 10 | 9.9 | 10.5 |
| Providence-Fall River-Warwick | 9.9 | 9.7 | 10.3 |
| Vermont | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.9 |
| Burlington-South Burlington | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.9 |
