How to find out if an urban area has high unemployment?

To find out whether an urban area has high unemployment, the safest approach is to consult official economic statistics sources. In the context of EB-5, this type of analysis helps determine whether the investment region aligns with the program’s objectives.

The main starting points are U.S. government agencies:

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which publishes unemployment rates at the national, state, and local levels.
• The U.S. Census Bureau and state labor departments, which complement the figures with regional context.

It is also worth contacting local offices or agencies that specialize in economic analysis, as they can provide more contextualized reports that account for regional factors not always captured by the numbers alone. Regardless of the source, verify that the data is current and comes from reliable institutions.

If you are preparing for an EB-5 process, pay close attention to both the program’s legal requirements and the economic conditions of the area. It is worth checking the updated criteria on the USCIS website and cross-referencing the information with official sources before making any decisions.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.