Total nonfarm employment for the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX, metropolitan area increased by 169,700 over the year in April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See chart 1 and table 1.) Regional Commissioner Michael Hirniak noted that the local rate of job gain, 5.6 percent, compared to the 4.6-percent national increase. (All data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year analysis is used throughout.)

 Industry employment

In Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX, trade, transportation, and utilities had the largest employment gain (+41,500) among local private-industry supersectors. (See chart 2.) Within the supersector, employment increased by 20,200 in the retail trade sector and 10,900 in the wholesale trade sector. The 6.7-percent rate of job increase in Houston’s trade, transportation, and utilities supersector compared to the 4.5-percent gain nationwide.

 

Leisure and hospitality added 30,100 jobs from April 2021 to April 2022. Within this supersector, the accommodation and food services sector accounted for most of the increase (+25,700). The 10.0-percent rise in the metropolitan area’s leisure and hospitality supersector compared to the 14.1-percent gain on a national level.

In the metropolitan area, education and health services gained 25,300 jobs over the year. The healthcare and social assistance sector increased by 15,700 jobs, while the education services sector gained 9,600 jobs. The education and health services supersector’s 6.2-percent local rate of job growth compared to the 2.6-percent gain nationwide.

Employment in manufacturing rose by 9,300 over the year. The 4.4-percent rate of job increase in Houston’s manufacturing supersector compared to the 4.1-percent gain nationwide.

Mining and logging added 8,600 jobs over the year in the Houston area. This supersector’s 14.4-percent local rate of job growth compared to the 10.7-percent national gain.

Twelve largest metropolitan areas

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX, was 1 of the nation’s 12 largest metropolitan statistical areas in April 2022. All 12 areas gained jobs over the year. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA, had the largest increase (+483,900). Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ, had the smallest increase (+82,800) among the largest areas. (See table 2 and chart 3.)

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, had a 7.4-percent rate of job gain, followed by Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA, with 6.7 percent. The rates of job gain in the remaining ten areas ranged from 6.0 percent in San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA, to 3.2 percent in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.

The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment release for May 2022 is scheduled to be released on June 29, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Technical Note

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

Definitions. Employment data refer to persons on establishment payrolls who receive pay for any part of the pay period which 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 estimates are produced with a model that uses direct sample estimates (described above) combined with other regressors to decrease volatility in estimation.

Annual revisions. Employment estimates are adjusted annually to a complete count of jobs, called benchmarks, derived principally from tax reports which 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. Information on recent benchmark revisions is available online at www.bls.gov/web/laus/bmrk_article.htm.

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 totals shown in the same tables due to rounding.

Employment estimates. Changes in metropolitan area nonfarm payroll employment are cited in the analysis of this release only if they have been determined to be statistically significant at the 90-percent confidence level. Measures of sampling error for the total nonfarm employment series are available for metropolitan areas and metropolitan divisions at www.bls.gov/web/laus/790stderr.htm.

Area definitions. The substate area data published in this news release reflect the delineations issued by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget on April 10, 2018. The 12 metropolitan areas discussed in this release are the metropolitan areas with the largest population according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Additional information

Employment data from the CES program are available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/sae/.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

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. 2021	Feb. 2022	Mar. 2022	Apr. 2022(p)	Apr. 2021 to Apr. 2022(p)
					Net change	Percent change
United States
Total nonfarm	144,358	149,143	149,912	150,983	6,625	4.6
Mining and logging	549	590	600	608	59	10.7
Construction	7,322	7,285	7,395	7,559	237	3.2
Manufacturing	12,178	12,580	12,632	12,679	501	4.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities	27,152	28,330	28,361	28,372	1,220	4.5
Information	2,782	2,901	2,929	2,945	163	5.9
Financial activities	8,706	8,845	8,855	8,900	194	2.2
Professional and business services	20,930	21,810	21,920	22,118	1,188	5.7
Education and health services	23,720	24,142	24,245	24,334	614	2.6
Leisure and hospitality	13,421	14,717	14,939	15,318	1,897	14.1
Other services	5,357	5,584	5,607	5,649	292	5.5
Government	22,241	22,359	22,429	22,501	260	1.2
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area
Total nonfarm	3,028.6	3,162.5	3,168.6	3,198.3	169.7	5.6
Mining and logging	59.8	65.3	67.2	68.4	8.6	14.4
Construction	209.5	215.3	218.8	222.5	13.0	6.2
Manufacturing	211.0	217.7	219.3	220.3	9.3	4.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	618.7	654.2	656.9	660.2	41.5	6.7
Information	28.5	31.5	31.5	31.6	3.1	10.9
Financial activities	167.3	170.9	171.3	172.5	5.2	3.1
Professional and business services	495.5	513.7	505.6	512.8	17.3	3.5
Education and health services	405.9	425.4	426.5	431.2	25.3	6.2
Leisure and hospitality	301.9	324.0	326.5	332.0	30.1	10.0
Other services	107.6	109.9	110.9	110.4	2.8	2.6
Government	422.9	434.6	434.1	436.4	13.5	3.2
(1) U.S. data are preliminary for two months after they are first published. (p) preliminary

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

Area	Apr 2021	Feb 2022	Mar 2022	Apr 2022(p)	Apr 2021 to Apr 2022(p)
					Net change	Percent change
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Total nonfarm	2,764.9	2,922.2	2,938.1	2,949.0	184.1	6.7
Mining and logging	1.8	1.9	1.9	1.9	0.1	5.6
Construction	129.7	130.3	131.3	130.7	1.0	0.8
Manufacturing	165.3	173.8	174.8	174.7	9.4	5.7
Trade, transportation, and utilities	588.7	631.1	633.1	633.8	45.1	7.7
Information	105.5	115.2	117.8	119.9	14.4	13.6
Financial activities	182.5	192.0	191.4	191.6	9.1	5.0
Professional and business services	542.3	583.2	585.5	591.7	49.4	9.1
Education and health services	365.4	384.7	386.9	387.3	21.9	6.0
Leisure and hospitality	256.4	276.6	280.0	282.5	26.1	10.2
Other services	97.2	100.8	101.7	101.1	3.9	4.0
Government	330.1	332.6	333.7	333.8	3.7	1.1
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH (NECTA)
Total nonfarm	2,642.2	2,715.4	2,733.9	2,774.3	132.1	5.0
Mining, logging, and construction	120.2	120.4	121.9	126.6	6.4	5.3
Manufacturing	177.4	181.0	182.1	184.4	7.0	3.9
Trade, transportation, and utilities	393.2	404.4	405.3	406.6	13.4	3.4
Information	81.2	83.2	83.9	84.9	3.7	4.6
Financial activities	181.7	179.2	179.7	178.9	-2.8	-1.5
Professional and business services	511.7	526.4	530.6	544.4	32.7	6.4
Education and health services	585.6	597.2	603.2	602.6	17.0	2.9
Leisure and hospitality	196.5	221.7	225.4	241.6	45.1	23.0
Other services	88.9	93.8	93.9	95.0	6.1	6.9
Government	305.8	308.1	307.9	309.3	3.5	1.1
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
Total nonfarm	4,457.6	4,582.9	4,611.5	4,647.5	189.9	4.3
Mining and logging	1.6	1.7	1.7	1.9	0.3	18.8
Construction	172.4	156.9	162.6	176.7	4.3	2.5
Manufacturing	399.6	404.6	407.1	409.7	10.1	2.5
Trade, transportation, and utilities	912.4	951.6	950.4	947.3	34.9	3.8
Information	72.6	77.2	77.4	78.0	5.4	7.4
Financial activities	313.8	313.9	316.7	314.2	0.4	0.1
Professional and business services	802.3	828.3	834.5	836.5	34.2	4.3
Education and health services	717.8	724.1	726.9	729.4	11.6	1.6
Leisure and hospitality	369.7	412.8	419.3	435.3	65.6	17.7
Other services	179.4	185.0	185.2	186.5	7.1	4.0
Government	516.0	526.8	529.7	532.0	16.0	3.1
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
Total nonfarm	3,779.7	3,999.1	4,020.6	4,057.6	277.9	7.4
Mining, logging, and construction	218.5	222.8	227.0	231.5	13.0	5.9
Manufacturing	283.2	290.0	293.2	294.2	11.0	3.9
Trade, transportation, and utilities	814.4	872.6	877.1	876.9	62.5	7.7
Information	80.6	85.6	85.8	85.5	4.9	6.1
Financial activities	335.4	357.6	360.5	360.0	24.6	7.3
Professional and business services	667.5	727.3	722.7	737.3	69.8	10.5
Education and health services	458.2	477.0	482.0	483.1	24.9	5.4
Leisure and hospitality	351.0	388.6	391.5	404.6	53.6	15.3
Other services	118.0	125.0	127.3	129.9	11.9	10.1
Government	452.9	452.6	453.5	454.6	1.7	0.4
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
Total nonfarm	3,028.6	3,162.5	3,168.6	3,198.3	169.7	5.6
Mining and logging	59.8	65.3	67.2	68.4	8.6	14.4
Construction	209.5	215.3	218.8	222.5	13.0	6.2
Manufacturing	211.0	217.7	219.3	220.3	9.3	4.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	618.7	654.2	656.9	660.2	41.5	6.7
Information	28.5	31.5	31.5	31.6	3.1	10.9
Financial activities	167.3	170.9	171.3	172.5	5.2	3.1
Professional and business services	495.5	513.7	505.6	512.8	17.3	3.5
Education and health services	405.9	425.4	426.5	431.2	25.3	6.2
Leisure and hospitality	301.9	324.0	326.5	332.0	30.1	10.0
Other services	107.6	109.9	110.9	110.4	2.8	2.6
Government	422.9	434.6	434.1	436.4	13.5	3.2
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Total nonfarm	5,805.7	6,088.4	6,116.6	6,139.4	333.7	5.7
Mining and logging	2.1	2.0	2.0	2.0	-0.1	-4.8
Construction	253.0	255.5	258.5	254.3	1.3	0.5
Manufacturing	457.3	466.1	468.5	469.5	12.2	2.7
Trade, transportation, and utilities	1,051.1	1,092.4	1,089.3	1,088.1	37.0	3.5
Information	224.5	251.8	250.8	253.1	28.6	12.7
Financial activities	329.1	323.2	324.8	326.8	-2.3	-0.7
Professional and business services	943.7	979.0	978.5	983.4	39.7	4.2
Education and health services	1,074.5	1,111.4	1,119.4	1,116.8	42.3	3.9
Leisure and hospitality	574.7	683.4	695.7	712.1	137.4	23.9
Other services	177.6	195.0	197.5	199.4	21.8	12.3
Government	718.1	728.6	731.6	733.9	15.8	2.2
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
Total nonfarm	2,624.7	2,758.6	2,758.0	2,767.9	143.2	5.5
Mining and logging	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.1	12.5
Construction	139.7	140.3	141.6	143.3	3.6	2.6
Manufacturing	88.9	92.1	93.6	94.0	5.1	5.7
Trade, transportation, and utilities	591.8	635.2	633.0	633.2	41.4	7.0
Information	48.7	52.2	52.2	52.1	3.4	7.0
Financial activities	193.0	201.2	200.3	203.0	10.0	5.2
Professional and business services	459.6	482.5	479.3	483.9	24.3	5.3
Education and health services	408.0	416.6	417.0	413.7	5.7	1.4
Leisure and hospitality	280.9	318.1	320.1	324.1	43.2	15.4
Other services	109.8	114.1	115.0	115.9	6.1	5.6
Government	303.5	305.4	305.0	303.8	0.3	0.1
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
Total nonfarm	9,157.4	9,453.2	9,530.6	9,641.3	483.9	5.3
Mining, logging, and construction	385.1	369.6	376.5	387.0	1.9	0.5
Manufacturing	331.1	336.0	339.0	339.1	8.0	2.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	1,562.4	1,627.6	1,633.3	1,632.8	70.4	4.5
Information	299.8	317.9	318.3	319.3	19.5	6.5
Financial activities	761.9	767.7	770.6	773.1	11.2	1.5
Professional and business services	1,508.7	1,562.3	1,574.0	1,599.5	90.8	6.0
Education and health services	2,020.7	2,034.8	2,054.8	2,073.9	53.2	2.6
Leisure and hospitality	643.1	761.7	782.3	819.3	176.2	27.4
Other services	362.7	388.5	390.4	398.5	35.8	9.9
Government	1,281.9	1,287.1	1,291.4	1,298.8	16.9	1.3
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Total nonfarm	2,840.5	2,907.0	2,925.1	2,948.9	108.4	3.8
Mining, logging, and construction	119.5	115.1	117.4	121.0	1.5	1.3
Manufacturing	172.0	176.7	177.0	177.7	5.7	3.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities	513.8	535.8	536.5	536.6	22.8	4.4
Information	47.9	48.5	48.7	49.2	1.3	2.7
Financial activities	216.4	217.5	218.3	218.2	1.8	0.8
Professional and business services	470.1	480.2	485.3	492.9	22.8	4.9
Education and health services	649.7	655.6	657.0	660.8	11.1	1.7
Leisure and hospitality	210.2	230.5	235.7	243.9	33.7	16.0
Other services	109.9	115.7	116.5	116.2	6.3	5.7
Government	331.0	331.4	332.7	332.4	1.4	0.4
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
Total nonfarm	2,193.0	2,270.8	2,267.8	2,275.8	82.8	3.8
Mining and logging	2.6	2.9	3.0	3.0	0.4	15.4
Construction	138.0	140.9	141.9	141.1	3.1	2.2
Manufacturing	135.8	141.4	141.1	143.5	7.7	5.7
Trade, transportation, and utilities	428.5	457.9	457.9	454.4	25.9	6.0
Information	38.8	40.9	39.6	40.8	2.0	5.2
Financial activities	216.0	215.0	213.4	213.3	-2.7	-1.3
Professional and business services	368.8	379.4	377.0	379.2	10.4	2.8
Education and health services	344.3	351.7	353.8	355.1	10.8	3.1
Leisure and hospitality	208.9	226.7	226.7	230.9	22.0	10.5
Other services	67.1	70.9	70.7	70.6	3.5	5.2
Government	244.2	243.1	242.7	243.9	-0.3	-0.1
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
Total nonfarm	2,293.5	2,402.1	2,421.0	2,431.9	138.4	6.0
Mining and logging	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.0	0.0
Construction	122.8	123.7	124.7	124.0	1.2	1.0
Manufacturing	145.8	151.3	153.0	152.7	6.9	4.7
Trade, transportation, and utilities	340.9	356.5	356.9	356.8	15.9	4.7
Information	137.0	142.6	143.8	143.6	6.6	4.8
Financial activities	138.8	142.1	141.2	141.4	2.6	1.9
Professional and business services	484.0	507.7	512.4	516.8	32.8	6.8
Education and health services	363.0	370.9	373.3	371.8	8.8	2.4
Leisure and hospitality	181.8	215.4	220.0	226.3	44.5	24.5
Other services	71.6	79.6	80.8	82.5	10.9	15.2
Government	307.4	311.9	314.5	315.6	8.2	2.7
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Total nonfarm	3,182.6	3,252.4	3,269.3	3,286.0	103.4	3.2
Mining, logging, and construction	160.8	160.4	163.1	162.7	1.9	1.2
Manufacturing	54.6	55.0	55.3	55.5	0.9	1.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	386.9	400.9	400.3	399.2	12.3	3.2
Information	75.6	76.5	77.2	76.6	1.0	1.3
Financial activities	156.7	152.7	152.9	152.5	-4.2	-2.7
Professional and business services	780.4	787.1	793.3	795.5	15.1	1.9
Education and health services	428.2	428.2	430.6	435.9	7.7	1.8
Leisure and hospitality	238.2	282.2	287.1	296.4	58.2	24.4
Other services	193.2	194.4	195.0	197.0	3.8	2.0
Government	708.0	715.0	714.5	714.7	6.7	0.9
(p) Preliminary