Total nonfarm employment for the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX, metropolitan area increased by 74,500 over the year in July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that the local rate of job gain, 2.2 percent, compared to the 1.6-percent national increase. (See chart 1 and table 1.) (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, education and health services had the only significant gain (+17,700) among the metropolitan area’s private-industry supersectors. (See chart 2.) Within the supersector, health care and social assistance increased by 15,600 jobs. The 4.0-percent increase in the metropolitan area’s education and health services supersector compared to the 3.9-percent gain on a national level.

Twelve largest metropolitan areas

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX, was 1 of the nation’s 12 largest metropolitan statistical areas in July 2024. Nine of twelve areas gained total nonfarm payroll employment over the year. The largest job gain occurred in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA (+202,900). Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH (+30,700), had the smallest employment increase among the areas with significant changes. (See table 2 and chart 3.)

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL, and Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ, each had a 2.6-percent rate of job gain. Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH, reported a job gain of 1.1 percent.

The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment release for August 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. (CT).

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. More information about the CES data is available in the State Employment and Unemployment Summary and the Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary.

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 2022 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 compensate for smaller sample sizes.

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. Further information on CES benchmark methods and recent benchmark revisions is available in the CES State and Area benchmark article.

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. Reliability of state and area estimates for the total nonfarm employment series are available for metropolitan areas and metropolitan divisions.

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

State and area employment data from the CES program are available on the BLS website.

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	Jul. 2023	May 2024	Jun. 2024	Jul. 2024(p)	Jul. 2023 to Jul. 2024(p)
					Net change	Percent change
United States(1)
Total nonfarm	155,981	158,842	159,360	158,445	2,464	1.6
Mining and logging	652	633	638	640	-12	-1.8
Construction	8,240	8,265	8,412	8,484	244	3.0
Manufacturing	12,997	12,940	13,023	13,010	13	0.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities	28,770	28,884	29,020	29,001	231	0.8
Information	3,046	3,003	3,032	3,021	-25	-0.8
Financial activities	9,291	9,203	9,278	9,314	23	0.2
Professional and business services	22,951	23,000	23,076	23,087	136	0.6
Education and health services	25,095	26,251	26,138	26,083	988	3.9
Leisure and hospitality	17,422	17,185	17,606	17,678	256	1.5
Other services	5,907	5,929	5,994	5,990	83	1.4
Government	21,610	23,549	23,143	22,137	527	2.4
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area
Total nonfarm	3,354.5	3,454.4	3,459.0	3,429.0	74.5	2.2
Mining and logging	70.8	72.2	72.7	72.7	1.9	2.7
Construction	230.9	240.0	243.5	242.6	11.7	5.1
Manufacturing	234.1	238.1	238.9	237.8	3.7	1.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	686.1	687.4	687.2	688.5	2.4	0.3
Information	33.4	32.7	32.8	32.6	-0.8	-2.4
Financial activities	187.1	188.6	190.1	191.5	4.4	2.4
Professional and business services	557.0	561.4	564.1	560.8	3.8	0.7
Education and health services	445.2	468.1	467.5	462.9	17.7	4.0
Leisure and hospitality	363.3	368.5	368.9	365.9	2.6	0.7
Other services	126.9	133.9	136.0	134.3	7.4	5.8
Government	419.7	463.5	457.3	439.4	19.7	4.7
(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	Jul 2023	May 2024	Jun 2024	Jul 2024(p)	Jul 2023 to Jul 2024(p)
					Net change	Percent change
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Total nonfarm	3,040.9	3,083.3	3,098.2	3,092.1	51.2	1.7
Mining and logging	2.0	2.1	2.1	2.1	0.1	5.0
Construction	144.5	147.4	146.8	146.7	2.2	1.5
Manufacturing	182.1	182.4	183.8	183.1	1.0	0.5
Trade, transportation, and utilities	657.1	654.7	659.1	656.9	-0.2	0.0
Information	100.6	97.4	97.1	94.9	-5.7	-5.7
Financial activities	205.4	208.1	209.6	210.5	5.1	2.5
Professional and business services	589.6	582.7	584.8	583.6	-6.0	-1.0
Education and health services	404.9	419.7	420.6	418.3	13.4	3.3
Leisure and hospitality	315.1	322.3	331.4	337.5	22.4	7.1
Other services	105.4	107.0	107.3	108.5	3.1	2.9
Government	334.2	359.5	355.6	350.0	15.8	4.7
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH (NECTA)
Total nonfarm	2,818.2	2,824.5	2,862.1	2,848.9	30.7	1.1
Mining, logging, and construction	134.5	130.9	133.5	134.3	-0.2	-0.1
Manufacturing	185.3	180.1	180.6	179.7	-5.6	-3.0
Trade, transportation, and utilities	403.6	401.8	406.7	403.3	-0.3	-0.1
Information	81.9	77.5	77.6	77.8	-4.1	-5.0
Financial activities	187.1	182.3	187.2	188.3	1.2	0.6
Professional and business services	540.4	528.6	536.1	540.1	-0.3	-0.1
Education and health services	600.3	618.8	617.1	614.6	14.3	2.4
Leisure and hospitality	283.6	276.2	293.3	301.1	17.5	6.2
Other services	107.9	104.6	108.8	109.5	1.6	1.5
Government	293.6	323.7	321.2	300.2	6.6	2.2
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
Total nonfarm	4,816.3	4,799.0	4,841.6	4,822.9	6.6	0.1
Mining and logging	1.6	1.6	1.7	1.7	0.1	6.3
Construction	192.9	183.9	190.9	192.8	-0.1	-0.1
Manufacturing	411.4	418.9	422.9	423.2	11.8	2.9
Trade, transportation, and utilities	970.3	960.1	968.4	967.0	-3.3	-0.3
Information	79.4	76.7	77.7	76.8	-2.6	-3.3
Financial activities	325.0	314.8	319.2	320.4	-4.6	-1.4
Professional and business services	856.2	818.0	826.3	826.8	-29.4	-3.4
Education and health services	755.9	782.5	772.7	771.0	15.1	2.0
Leisure and hospitality	493.0	483.4	499.2	499.0	6.0	1.2
Other services	200.2	202.1	204.4	204.3	4.1	2.0
Government	530.4	557.0	558.2	539.9	9.5	1.8
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
Total nonfarm	4,217.6	4,289.7	4,291.6	4,273.0	55.4	1.3
Mining, logging, and construction	248.3	252.4	257.5	258.1	9.8	3.9
Manufacturing	309.1	311.8	315.0	314.8	5.7	1.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	893.2	899.8	900.1	901.9	8.7	1.0
Information	92.1	90.5	91.1	91.8	-0.3	-0.3
Financial activities	369.8	371.6	373.4	376.6	6.8	1.8
Professional and business services	783.6	774.4	776.6	771.4	-12.2	-1.6
Education and health services	499.5	517.7	515.3	513.3	13.8	2.8
Leisure and hospitality	432.5	435.5	438.5	434.5	2.0	0.5
Other services	138.5	143.5	144.8	145.0	6.5	4.7
Government	451.0	492.5	479.3	465.6	14.6	3.2
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
Total nonfarm	3,354.5	3,454.4	3,459.0	3,429.0	74.5	2.2
Mining and logging	70.8	72.2	72.7	72.7	1.9	2.7
Construction	230.9	240.0	243.5	242.6	11.7	5.1
Manufacturing	234.1	238.1	238.9	237.8	3.7	1.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	686.1	687.4	687.2	688.5	2.4	0.3
Information	33.4	32.7	32.8	32.6	-0.8	-2.4
Financial activities	187.1	188.6	190.1	191.5	4.4	2.4
Professional and business services	557.0	561.4	564.1	560.8	3.8	0.7
Education and health services	445.2	468.1	467.5	462.9	17.7	4.0
Leisure and hospitality	363.3	368.5	368.9	365.9	2.6	0.7
Other services	126.9	133.9	136.0	134.3	7.4	5.8
Government	419.7	463.5	457.3	439.4	19.7	4.7
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Total nonfarm	6,157.9	6,292.9	6,295.8	6,262.9	105.0	1.7
Mining and logging	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	0.0	0.0
Construction	256.9	255.9	257.7	259.9	3.0	1.2
Manufacturing	475.2	467.9	469.8	469.4	-5.8	-1.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	1,081.2	1,079.3	1,085.6	1,086.7	5.5	0.5
Information	200.6	205.4	206.9	203.0	2.4	1.2
Financial activities	315.0	313.6	315.0	316.0	1.0	0.3
Professional and business services	966.5	960.4	960.9	964.8	-1.7	-0.2
Education and health services	1,162.0	1,234.2	1,223.6	1,224.1	62.1	5.3
Leisure and hospitality	772.2	785.8	787.9	792.6	20.4	2.6
Other services	215.7	220.5	219.0	221.2	5.5	2.5
Government	710.6	767.9	767.4	723.2	12.6	1.8
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
Total nonfarm	2,869.0	2,968.1	2,948.0	2,944.3	75.3	2.6
Construction	152.5	160.5	162.8	165.8	13.3	8.7
Manufacturing	98.7	99.0	98.8	98.3	-0.4	-0.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	646.6	655.7	656.6	657.4	10.8	1.7
Information	55.1	54.4	54.4	54.8	-0.3	-0.5
Financial activities	217.3	214.8	217.1	217.2	-0.1	0.0
Professional and business services	518.3	520.4	525.0	525.8	7.5	1.4
Education and health services	439.8	463.9	461.6	457.7	17.9	4.1
Leisure and hospitality	331.7	356.0	349.2	344.3	12.6	3.8
Other services	114.4	119.7	119.6	119.1	4.7	4.1
Government	293.7	322.8	302.0	303.0	9.3	3.2
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
Total nonfarm	10,056.5	10,232.1	10,342.4	10,259.4	202.9	2.0
Mining, logging, and construction	415.3	408.2	411.3	405.8	-9.5	-2.3
Manufacturing	350.3	347.7	349.6	349.7	-0.6	-0.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	1,658.8	1,660.8	1,675.8	1,667.5	8.7	0.5
Information	311.6	304.6	301.2	293.0	-18.6	-6.0
Financial activities	838.8	818.2	833.0	836.1	-2.7	-0.3
Professional and business services	1,663.4	1,645.0	1,675.9	1,671.8	8.4	0.5
Education and health services	2,158.8	2,340.4	2,327.5	2,313.6	154.8	7.2
Leisure and hospitality	984.5	968.7	1,010.4	1,024.0	39.5	4.0
Other services	410.0	415.0	421.9	423.4	13.4	3.3
Government	1,265.0	1,323.5	1,335.8	1,274.5	9.5	0.8
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Total nonfarm	3,058.3	3,123.5	3,143.2	3,124.5	66.2	2.2
Mining, logging, and construction	127.6	126.2	128.0	130.1	2.5	2.0
Manufacturing	183.1	181.5	182.4	181.8	-1.3	-0.7
Trade, transportation, and utilities	542.4	539.1	541.0	541.0	-1.4	-0.3
Information	53.5	53.0	52.5	53.0	-0.5	-0.9
Financial activities	231.0	231.0	233.6	233.1	2.1	0.9
Professional and business services	497.7	498.9	504.6	503.5	5.8	1.2
Education and health services	689.7	732.6	726.7	723.6	33.9	4.9
Leisure and hospitality	289.7	287.7	302.0	303.3	13.6	4.7
Other services	124.4	125.4	127.8	127.0	2.6	2.1
Government	319.2	348.1	344.6	328.1	8.9	2.8
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
Total nonfarm	2,351.7	2,452.3	2,418.0	2,413.3	61.6	2.6
Mining and logging	3.6	3.8	3.8	3.9	0.3	8.3
Construction	168.3	170.5	171.3	173.0	4.7	2.8
Manufacturing	149.2	148.6	149.0	148.1	-1.1	-0.7
Trade, transportation, and utilities	464.7	477.0	475.9	473.9	9.2	2.0
Information	42.5	40.7	40.7	40.8	-1.7	-4.0
Financial activities	210.2	211.3	212.7	213.4	3.2	1.5
Professional and business services	378.8	394.4	390.3	393.5	14.7	3.9
Education and health services	386.0	413.7	410.4	409.2	23.2	6.0
Leisure and hospitality	244.1	251.8	247.7	242.3	-1.8	-0.7
Other services	75.9	78.7	79.1	78.9	3.0	4.0
Government	228.4	261.8	237.1	236.3	7.9	3.5
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
Total nonfarm	2,454.6	2,477.6	2,486.1	2,474.9	20.3	0.8
Mining and logging	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.0	0.0
Construction	125.3	122.0	123.5	124.9	-0.4	-0.3
Manufacturing	151.7	148.0	148.5	146.5	-5.2	-3.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	348.7	347.5	349.3	349.1	0.4	0.1
Information	143.6	131.8	133.8	134.5	-9.1	-6.3
Financial activities	137.4	135.7	136.1	135.7	-1.7	-1.2
Professional and business services	505.3	500.4	501.7	502.4	-2.9	-0.6
Education and health services	390.3	412.6	410.3	409.5	19.2	4.9
Leisure and hospitality	254.9	259.7	261.4	263.4	8.5	3.3
Other services	87.0	88.3	89.8	90.9	3.9	4.5
Government	310.0	331.2	331.3	317.6	7.6	2.5
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Total nonfarm	3,388.8	3,392.7	3,424.8	3,417.2	28.4	0.8
Mining, logging, and construction	165.1	160.9	163.4	167.0	1.9	1.2
Manufacturing	58.2	58.9	59.3	59.2	1.0	1.7
Trade, transportation, and utilities	404.7	401.6	405.7	406.1	1.4	0.3
Information	80.6	79.5	80.4	79.8	-0.8	-1.0
Financial activities	154.9	150.5	151.4	152.5	-2.4	-1.5
Professional and business services	825.7	815.5	823.1	825.1	-0.6	-0.1
Education and health services	452.0	464.2	462.7	457.1	5.1	1.1
Leisure and hospitality	338.5	327.7	340.1	338.5	0.0	0.0
Other services	197.1	199.1	200.7	203.0	5.9	3.0
Government	712.0	734.8	738.0	728.9	16.9	2.4
(p) Preliminary