A tale of two cities: too many jobs, or not enough (NPR)

Yuma, Ariz., has the country’s highest unemployment rate at 28.9%—more than three times the national average of 8.2%. Located along the Mexican border, Yuma’s market is heavily dependent on agriculture, which uses seasonal labor. However, job listings have picked up. In May, 44 employers posted 92 jobs—up from eight employers listing 33 jobs a year ago. On the other end of the spectrum, Bismarck, N.D., has added 3,300 jobs in the last year but is still not without its own set of problems. The state’s energy boom has dropped the unemployment rate to just 2.5%. Newcomers looking for work are unable to find places to live and the schools are stretched to capacity. “We’re growing. It wasn’t too long ago in North Dakota where there was a declining population,” said Mike Bitz, superintendent of Mandan Public Schools. “It’s nicer to be growing than to be dying.”