Under the bill, up to 20 additional weeks of benefits would be paid in states where total unemployment averaged 8 percent over the previous six months.

Last year, unemployment in the metropolitan area averaged 4.2 percent, compared with 5.8 percent nationwide.

In recent years, unemployment here has averaged one or two percentage points below the national average.

Over all, unemployment averaged 7 percent in 1986, the lowest since the same figure was recorded in 1980.

The figures showed that unemployment averaged at 2.976m during 2011 - the lowest level for 20 years - while the jobless rate was 7.1pc.

In the 12 years before I took office, unemployment averaged more than 7 percent.

During the "golden age" of the 1950s and 1960s, unemployment in Britain averaged 2%.

In 1921 unemployment averaged nearly 14%, and it obstinately refused to clear up throughout the decade.

According to Economy.com's analysis, based on county data, unemployment this year in the district should average 3.8 percent, well below the national average.

With a current workforce of about 32,000 men and women, unemployment averaged around 10 percent in 1989, an average year by most standards.