Total nonfarm employment in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land Metropolitan Statistical Area stood at 3,151,300 in April 2019, up 86,200 or 2.8 percent, from one year earlier, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. During the same period, the national job count increased 1.8 percent. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Stanley W. Suchman noted that among the 12 largest metropolitan areas in the country, Houston ranked third in both the number of jobs added over the year and the annual rate of job growth. (See chart 1 and table 1; the Technical Note at the end of this release contains metropolitan area definitions. All data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year analysis is used throughout.)

Industry employment

In the Houston metropolitan area, professional and business services added the largest number of jobs from April 2018 to April 2019, up 22,300. Job gains were widespread within the sector, including the architectural, engineering, and related services industry which added 6,400 jobs, a 9.5-percent increase over the year. Houston’s professional and business services supersector employment rose 4.6 percent since April 2018, compared to the national increase of 2.6 percent. (See table 1 and chart 2.)

Houston manufacturing added 14,900 jobs from April a year ago, the second-largest job gain among the supersectors. Local job gains were concentrated in durable goods manufacturing (+14,300). The 6.6-percent increase in Houston’s manufacturing employment compared to a gain of 1.6 percent nationally. April marked the 21^st consecutive month of annual job growth in local manufacturing after 28 consecutive months of annual declines.

Houston’s education and health services supersector added 14,500 jobs from April a year ago. The health care and social assistance subsector added 12,900 jobs and educational services subsector added 1,600 jobs. The education and health services supersector had a 3.7-percent rate of job growth in Houston, compared to 2.5 percent nationwide.

Three local sectors added between 8,300 and 5,500 jobs over the year. Leisure and hospitality added 8,300 jobs since April 2018; area employment in the supersector rose 2.6 percent, compared to the 2.8-percent gain for the nation. The government sector added 6,400 jobs in Houston over the year. Local government educational services accounted for the largest share of the gain, at 3,700 jobs. Government employment in Houston rose 1.5 percent, compared to the national increase of 0.6 percent. Industry employment in other services in Houston rose by 5,500 since April 2018; the local 4.9-percent annual gain compared to a U.S. gain of 1.8 percent.

Four additional local sectors had annual job increases of between 4,700 and 2,300: mining and logging (+4,700), construction (+4,500), trade, transportation, and utilities (+3,600) and financial activities (+2,300).

Employment in the 12 largest metropolitan areas

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land was 1 of the nation’s 12 largest metropolitan statistical areas in April 2019. All 12 areas had over-the-year job growth during the period, with the rates of job growth in 6 areas equaling or exceeding the national increase of 1.8 percent. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (+3.2 percent each) and Houston (+2.8 percent) had the fastest annual rates of job growth. Boston-Cambridge-Nashua (+0.7 percent), Washington-Arlington-Alexandria (+0.9 percent) and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (+1.2 percent) had the slowest rates of job growth. (See chart 3 and table 2.)

New York-Newark-Jersey City added the largest number of jobs over the year, 139,600, followed by Dallas (+115,600) and Houston (+86,200). Boston had the smallest employment gain over the year, 19,000, followed by Washington with 29,800 jobs. Annual job gains in the remaining seven metropolitan areas ranged from 74,100 in Los Angeles to 38,400 in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington.

Over the year, professional and business services added the most jobs in eight areas: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Dallas, Houston, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, and Washington. Education and health services added the most jobs in three areas: Los Angeles, New York, and Philadelphia. In the remaining area, Phoenix, the construction supersector added the largest number of jobs.

The information supersector recorded the largest employment loss in five areas: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, and Miami. Financial activities lost the most jobs in three areas: Los Angeles, New York, and Phoenix.

Metropolitan area employment data for May 2019 are scheduled to be released on Friday, June 21, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Technical Note

This release presents nonfarm payroll employment estimates from the Current Employment Statistics (CES) program. The CES survey is a Federal-State cooperative endeavor between State employment security agencies and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Definitions. Employment data refer to persons on establishment payrolls who receive pay for any part of the pay period that includes the 12th of the month. Persons are counted at their place of work rather than at their place of residence; those appearing on more than one payroll are counted on each payroll. Industries are classified on the basis of their principal activity in accordance with the 2017 version of the North American Industry Classification System.

Method of estimation. CES State and Area employment data are produced using several estimation procedures. Where possible these data are produced using a "weighted link relative" estimation technique in which a ratio of current-month weighted employment to that of the previous-month weighted employment is computed from a sample of establishments reporting for both months. The estimates of employment for the current month are then obtained by multiplying these ratios by the previous month's employment estimates. The weighted link relative technique is utilized for data series where the sample size meets certain statistical criteria.

For some employment series, the sample of establishments is very small or highly variable. In these cases, a model-based approach is used in estimation. These models use the direct sample estimates (described above), combined with forecasts of historical (benchmarked) data to decrease volatility in estimation. Two different models (Fay-Herriot Model and Small Domain Model) are used depending on the industry level being estimated. For more detailed information about each model, refer to the BLS Handbook of Methods.

Annual revisions. Employment estimates are adjusted annually to a complete count of jobs, called benchmarks, derived principally from tax reports that are submitted by employers who are covered under state unemployment insurance (UI) laws. The benchmark information is used to adjust the monthly estimates between the new benchmark and the preceding one and also to establish the level of employment for the new benchmark month. Thus, the benchmarking process establishes the level of employment, and the sample is used to measure the month-to-month changes in the level for the subsequent months.

Reliability of the estimates. The estimates presented in this release are based on sample surveys, administrative data, and modeling and, thus, are subject to sampling and other types of errors. Sampling error is a measure of sampling variability–that is, variation that occurs by chance because a sample rather than the entire population is surveyed. Survey data also are subject to nonsampling errors, such as those which can be introduced into the data collection and processing operations. Estimates not directly derived from sample surveys are subject to additional errors resulting from the specific estimation processes used. The sums of individual items may not always equal the totals shown in the same tables because of rounding.

Employment estimates. Measures of sampling error for the total nonfarm employment series are available for metropolitan areas and metropolitan divisions at www.bls.gov/sae/additional-resources/reliability-of-state-and-area-estimates.htm. Measures of sampling error for more detailed series at the area and division level are available upon request. Measures of sampling error for states down to the supersector level are available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/sae/additional-resources/reliability-of-state-and-area-estimates.htm. Measures of nonsampling error are not available for the areas contained in this release. Information on recent benchmark revisions is available online at www.bls.gov/sae/publications/benchmark-article/annual-benchmark-article.pdf

Area definitions. The substate area data published in this release reflect the delineations issued by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, dated April 10, 2018. A detailed list of the geographic definitions is available at www.bls.gov/lau/lausmsa.htm.

The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land Metropolitan Statistical Area includes Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller Counties in Texas.

Additional information

More complete information on the technical procedures used to develop these estimates and additional data appear in Employment and Earnings, which is available online at www.bls.gov/opub/ee/home.htm. Industry employment data for states and metropolitan areas from the Current Employment Statistics program are also available in the above mentioned news releases and from the Internet at www.bls.gov/sae/.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

Table 1. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry supersector, United States and Houston metropolitan area, not seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands)

Area and Industry	Apr. 2018	Feb. 2019	Mar. 2019	Apr. 2019(p)	Apr. 2018 to Apr. 2019(p)
					Net change	Percent change
United States
Total nonfarm	148,383	149,148	149,862	150,988	2,605	1.8
Mining and logging	714	744	746	743	29	4.1
Construction	7,129	7,066	7,174	7,385	256	3.6
Manufacturing	12,579	12,766	12,780	12,784	205	1.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	27,354	27,474	27,495	27,567	213	0.8
Information	2,823	2,798	2,804	2,807	-16	-0.6
Financial activities	8,496	8,571	8,592	8,605	109	1.3
Professional and business services	20,828	20,987	21,073	21,362	534	2.6
Education and health services	23,705	24,130	24,204	24,296	591	2.5
Leisure and hospitality	16,132	15,997	16,253	16,586	454	2.8
Other services	5,821	5,837	5,877	5,923	102	1.8
Government	22,802	22,778	22,864	22,930	128	0.6
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area
Total nonfarm	3,065.1	3,117.7	3,133.8	3,151.3	86.2	2.8
Mining and logging	77.6	82.2	83.5	82.3	4.7	6.1
Construction	220.0	221.7	221.5	224.5	4.5	2.0
Manufacturing	225.4	240.8	241.5	240.3	14.9	6.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	617.7	621.2	621.2	621.3	3.6	0.6
Information	31.5	30.9	31.0	30.7	-0.8	-2.5
Financial activities	163.3	164.6	164.4	165.6	2.3	1.4
Professional and business services	488.1	502.9	505.5	510.4	22.3	4.6
Education and health services	391.1	400.6	401.4	405.6	14.5	3.7
Leisure and hospitality	324.3	316.2	325.0	332.6	8.3	2.6
Other services	111.4	115.6	116.7	116.9	5.5	4.9
Government	414.7	421.0	422.1	421.1	6.4	1.5
(p) preliminary

Table 2. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry supersector, 12 largest metropolitan areas, not seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands)

Area and Industry	Apr. 2018	Feb. 2019	Mar. 2019	Apr. 2019(p)	Apr. 2018 to Apr. 2019(p)
					Net change	Percent change
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Total nonfarm	2,767.6	2,807.3	2,821.1	2,817.7	50.1	1.8
Mining and logging	1.6	1.6	1.5	1.5	-0.1	-6.3
Construction	123.7	130.6	130.9	130.7	7.0	5.7
Manufacturing	171.2	173.5	172.8	172.6	1.4	0.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	597.8	606.6	608.3	604.1	6.3	1.1
Information	98.1	94.0	95.2	94.9	-3.2	-3.3
Financial activities	173.5	174.1	174.0	172.8	-0.7	-0.4
Professional and business services	517.5	530.0	530.8	532.5	15.0	2.9
Education and health services	351.5	362.4	364.1	364.2	12.7	3.6
Leisure and hospitality	296.4	299.3	306.5	307.6	11.2	3.8
Other services	99.6	96.4	97.6	97.8	-1.8	-1.8
Government	336.7	338.8	339.4	339.0	2.3	0.7
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
Total nonfarm	2,764.2	2,736.1	2,747.9	2,783.2	19.0	0.7
Mining, logging, and construction	114.9	109.6	111.8	118.0	3.1	2.7
Manufacturing	187.3	187.1	186.9	186.6	-0.7	-0.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	419.9	418.6	419.2	419.1	-0.8	-0.2
Information	80.0	81.7	81.6	81.9	1.9	2.4
Financial activities	183.9	181.5	182.2	183.2	-0.7	-0.4
Professional and business services	496.4	492.4	494.7	507.4	11.0	2.2
Education and health services	588.4	590.5	593.2	595.0	6.6	1.1
Leisure and hospitality	273.2	253.1	256.0	267.4	-5.8	-2.1
Other services	103.7	102.3	102.7	104.4	0.7	0.7
Government	316.5	319.3	319.6	320.2	3.7	1.2
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
Total nonfarm	4,698.4	4,700.0	4,712.9	4,772.4	74.0	1.6
Mining and logging	1.6	1.4	1.5	1.5	-0.1	-6.3
Construction	174.2	161.9	166.2	177.7	3.5	2.0
Manufacturing	419.5	425.4	424.7	423.8	4.3	1.0
Trade, transportation, and utilities	938.7	946.0	945.8	949.9	11.2	1.2
Information	77.3	74.5	74.0	73.5	-3.8	-4.9
Financial activities	307.5	311.6	311.5	311.0	3.5	1.1
Professional and business services	820.4	825.2	818.8	841.4	21.0	2.6
Education and health services	734.2	749.1	748.2	752.2	18.0	2.5
Leisure and hospitality	481.4	463.8	475.6	495.8	14.4	3.0
Other services	197.7	195.2	197.5	198.2	0.5	0.3
Government	545.9	545.9	549.1	547.4	1.5	0.3
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
Total nonfarm	3,649.0	3,727.0	3,749.0	3,764.6	115.6	3.2
Mining, logging, and construction	216.8	221.6	222.3	226.9	10.1	4.7
Manufacturing	274.8	281.1	283.2	283.7	8.9	3.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	770.5	790.0	792.5	793.4	22.9	3.0
Information	83.1	81.7	82.5	81.5	-1.6	-1.9
Financial activities	298.3	307.4	307.2	309.8	11.5	3.9
Professional and business services	609.2	626.4	631.4	634.2	25.0	4.1
Education and health services	448.9	457.1	455.1	458.6	9.7	2.2
Leisure and hospitality	382.4	390.5	397.7	401.1	18.7	4.9
Other services	122.6	123.8	127.4	127.1	4.5	3.7
Government	442.4	447.4	449.7	448.3	5.9	1.3
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
Total nonfarm	3,065.1	3,117.7	3,133.8	3,151.3	86.2	2.8
Mining and logging	77.6	82.2	83.5	82.3	4.7	6.1
Construction	220.0	221.7	221.5	224.5	4.5	2.0
Manufacturing	225.4	240.8	241.5	240.3	14.9	6.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	617.7	621.2	621.2	621.3	3.6	0.6
Information	31.5	30.9	31.0	30.7	-0.8	-2.5
Financial activities	163.3	164.6	164.4	165.6	2.3	1.4
Professional and business services	488.1	502.9	505.5	510.4	22.3	4.6
Education and health services	391.1	400.6	401.4	405.6	14.5	3.7
Leisure and hospitality	324.3	316.2	325.0	332.6	8.3	2.6
Other services	111.4	115.6	116.7	116.9	5.5	4.9
Government	414.7	421.0	422.1	421.1	6.4	1.5
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Total nonfarm	6,146.7	6,174.2	6,194.4	6,220.8	74.1	1.2
Mining and logging	2.4	2.5	2.5	2.5	0.1	4.2
Construction	249.4	245.7	251.1	256.7	7.3	2.9
Manufacturing	503.7	500.6	504.0	502.6	-1.1	-0.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	1,102.0	1,109.1	1,105.2	1,102.6	0.6	0.1
Information	238.0	239.7	242.2	242.3	4.3	1.8
Financial activities	341.8	335.7	334.2	336.3	-5.5	-1.6
Professional and business services	928.5	946.6	948.0	945.5	17.0	1.8
Education and health services	1,051.5	1,067.4	1,070.5	1,076.0	24.5	2.3
Leisure and hospitality	757.0	754.0	756.0	773.6	16.6	2.2
Other services	210.3	211.8	213.7	215.1	4.8	2.3
Government	762.1	761.1	767.0	767.6	5.5	0.7
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
Total nonfarm	2,676.0	2,729.1	2,733.7	2,737.8	61.8	2.3
Mining and logging	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.0	0.0
Construction	135.3	139.1	139.9	141.8	6.5	4.8
Manufacturing	89.1	89.7	90.2	91.0	1.9	2.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities	603.0	612.5	610.4	608.8	5.8	1.0
Information	50.6	51.3	51.1	50.4	-0.2	-0.4
Financial activities	183.5	185.3	185.8	185.8	2.3	1.3
Professional and business services	442.6	460.5	460.4	459.8	17.2	3.9
Education and health services	399.5	411.1	412.1	414.6	15.1	3.8
Leisure and hospitality	332.4	336.1	338.1	340.7	8.3	2.5
Other services	123.6	125.7	125.9	126.7	3.1	2.5
Government	315.7	317.1	319.1	317.5	1.8	0.6
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
Total nonfarm	9,792.1	9,789.1	9,845.7	9,931.7	139.6	1.4
Mining, logging, and construction	405.0	400.1	407.5	420.7	15.7	3.9
Manufacturing	360.9	361.7	362.9	363.8	2.9	0.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	1,719.9	1,722.8	1,721.9	1,720.4	0.5	0.0
Information	287.6	291.8	293.6	295.3	7.7	2.7
Financial activities	773.7	769.1	768.4	770.5	-3.2	-0.4
Professional and business services	1,559.9	1,546.5	1,559.8	1,575.7	15.8	1.0
Education and health services	2,002.6	2,046.3	2,062.8	2,074.3	71.7	3.6
Leisure and hospitality	924.6	891.1	903.9	938.0	13.4	1.4
Other services	423.7	428.0	427.1	430.8	7.1	1.7
Government	1,334.2	1,331.7	1,337.8	1,342.2	8.0	0.6
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Total nonfarm	2,936.7	2,930.7	2,947.6	2,975.1	38.4	1.3
Mining, logging, and construction	117.7	116.9	118.2	123.1	5.4	4.6
Manufacturing	180.4	181.8	181.5	181.9	1.5	0.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	518.2	514.7	514.9	516.6	-1.6	-0.3
Information	48.8	48.0	47.7	48.2	-0.6	-1.2
Financial activities	215.4	215.4	215.2	214.6	-0.8	-0.4
Professional and business services	465.1	458.8	464.8	475.3	10.2	2.2
Education and health services	660.2	671.7	673.0	674.6	14.4	2.2
Leisure and hospitality	270.0	260.6	266.6	274.6	4.6	1.7
Other services	120.7	120.3	121.5	122.5	1.8	1.5
Government	340.2	342.5	344.2	343.7	3.5	1.0
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
Total nonfarm	2,101.3	2,155.4	2,160.1	2,169.3	68.0	3.2
Mining and logging	3.5	3.7	3.7	3.6	0.1	2.9
Construction	121.5	132.0	134.9	138.1	16.6	13.7
Manufacturing	126.3	131.2	131.1	132.4	6.1	4.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	397.2	407.7	407.5	408.0	10.8	2.7
Information	38.8	39.8	39.0	39.5	0.7	1.8
Financial activities	191.8	192.8	192.1	191.1	-0.7	-0.4
Professional and business services	349.6	359.0	361.7	363.8	14.2	4.1
Education and health services	324.0	337.4	337.6	338.4	14.4	4.4
Leisure and hospitality	233.4	234.9	236.1	237.8	4.4	1.9
Other services	69.3	70.4	69.8	70.4	1.1	1.6
Government	245.9	246.5	246.6	246.2	0.3	0.1
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
Total nonfarm	2,426.6	2,465.9	2,478.6	2,491.3	64.7	2.7
Mining and logging	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.0	0.0
Construction	123.7	126.7	129.6	130.8	7.1	5.7
Manufacturing	143.8	142.3	143.2	143.9	0.1	0.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities	373.1	378.8	376.8	376.4	3.3	0.9
Information	112.8	118.6	119.7	120.5	7.7	6.8
Financial activities	140.7	142.3	142.6	143.4	2.7	1.9
Professional and business services	488.3	504.3	506.8	508.0	19.7	4.0
Education and health services	355.8	365.6	367.0	371.1	15.3	4.3
Leisure and hospitality	274.0	274.6	278.0	281.0	7.0	2.6
Other services	88.0	87.4	87.1	87.5	-0.5	-0.6
Government	326.1	325.0	327.5	328.4	2.3	0.7
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Total nonfarm	3,300.4	3,289.8	3,309.4	3,330.2	29.8	0.9
Mining, logging, and construction	158.9	156.4	156.5	158.9	0.0	0.0
Manufacturing	55.1	54.2	55.0	54.7	-0.4	-0.7
Trade, transportation, and utilities	402.4	396.2	397.5	398.2	-4.2	-1.0
Information	74.5	73.9	74.3	74.2	-0.3	-0.4
Financial activities	158.6	153.2	154.4	156.8	-1.8	-1.1
Professional and business services	758.1	763.8	768.6	773.0	14.9	2.0
Education and health services	445.6	446.7	448.7	449.8	4.2	0.9
Leisure and hospitality	331.8	330.8	338.8	346.3	14.5	4.4
Other services	207.9	207.3	207.6	208.8	0.9	0.4
Government	707.5	707.3	708.0	709.5	2.0	0.3
(p) preliminary