The D.C. metropolitan area’s unemployment remains lower than a year ago, but rose to 2.6% in May, up from 2.3% in April.

A year ago, the D.C. region’s unemployment rate was 3.0%.

The U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reports unemployment rates in May were lower than a year ago in 177 metropolitan areas, higher in 158 and unchanged in 54.

A total of 215 metro regions had unemployment rates below the national rate in May of 3.4%.

Burlington, Vermont, had the lowest metro unemployment rate in May at 1.3%, followed by Manchester, New Hampshire, at 1.4%.

El Centro, California, had the highest May unemployment rate at 16.0%.

Among metro regions with a population of 1 million or more, Birmingham, Alabama, had the lowest, at 2.0%, followed by Boston, at 2.1%. Las Vegas had the highest, at 5.6%.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics posts monthly metropolitan unemployment rates, and changes in civilian workforce online.