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Payroll employment rose by 638,000 in October 2020

November 10, 2020

In October 2020, total nonfarm payroll employment rose to 142,373,000, an increase of 638,000. As of October, payroll employment has increased for 6 consecutive months. In October, nonfarm employment was below its February 2020 level by 10.1 million, or 6.6 percent. Notable job gains occurred over the month in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, retail trade, and construction. Employment in government declined.

Nonfarm payroll employment, January 2000–October 2020
Month Employment 1-month change Percent change

Jan 2000

131,005,000 233,000 0.2%

Feb 2000

131,124,000 119,000 0.1%

Mar 2000

131,596,000 472,000 0.4%

Apr 2000

131,888,000 292,000 0.2%

May 2000

132,105,000 217,000 0.2%

Jun 2000

132,061,000 -44,000 0.0%

Jul 2000

132,236,000 175,000 0.1%

Aug 2000

132,230,000 -6,000 0.0%

Sep 2000

132,353,000 123,000 0.1%

Oct 2000

132,351,000 -2,000 0.0%

Nov 2000

132,556,000 205,000 0.2%

Dec 2000

132,709,000 153,000 0.1%

Jan 2001

132,698,000 -11,000 0.0%

Feb 2001

132,789,000 91,000 0.1%

Mar 2001

132,747,000 -42,000 0.0%

Apr 2001

132,463,000 -284,000 -0.2%

May 2001

132,410,000 -53,000 0.0%

Jun 2001

132,299,000 -111,000 -0.1%

Jul 2001

132,177,000 -122,000 -0.1%

Aug 2001

132,028,000 -149,000 -0.1%

Sep 2001

131,771,000 -257,000 -0.2%

Oct 2001

131,454,000 -317,000 -0.2%

Nov 2001

131,142,000 -312,000 -0.2%

Dec 2001

130,982,000 -160,000 -0.1%

Jan 2002

130,852,000 -130,000 -0.1%

Feb 2002

130,736,000 -116,000 -0.1%

Mar 2002

130,717,000 -19,000 0.0%

Apr 2002

130,623,000 -94,000 -0.1%

May 2002

130,634,000 11,000 0.0%

Jun 2002

130,684,000 50,000 0.0%

Jul 2002

130,590,000 -94,000 -0.1%

Aug 2002

130,587,000 -3,000 0.0%

Sep 2002

130,501,000 -86,000 -0.1%

Oct 2002

130,628,000 127,000 0.1%

Nov 2002

130,615,000 -13,000 0.0%

Dec 2002

130,472,000 -143,000 -0.1%

Jan 2003

130,580,000 108,000 0.1%

Feb 2003

130,444,000 -136,000 -0.1%

Mar 2003

130,232,000 -212,000 -0.2%

Apr 2003

130,177,000 -55,000 0.0%

May 2003

130,196,000 19,000 0.0%

Jun 2003

130,194,000 -2,000 0.0%

Jul 2003

130,191,000 -3,000 0.0%

Aug 2003

130,149,000 -42,000 0.0%

Sep 2003

130,254,000 105,000 0.1%

Oct 2003

130,454,000 200,000 0.2%

Nov 2003

130,474,000 20,000 0.0%

Dec 2003

130,588,000 114,000 0.1%

Jan 2004

130,769,000 181,000 0.1%

Feb 2004

130,825,000 56,000 0.0%

Mar 2004

131,142,000 317,000 0.2%

Apr 2004

131,411,000 269,000 0.2%

May 2004

131,694,000 283,000 0.2%

Jun 2004

131,793,000 99,000 0.1%

Jul 2004

131,848,000 55,000 0.0%

Aug 2004

131,937,000 89,000 0.1%

Sep 2004

132,093,000 156,000 0.1%

Oct 2004

132,447,000 354,000 0.3%

Nov 2004

132,503,000 56,000 0.0%

Dec 2004

132,624,000 121,000 0.1%

Jan 2005

132,774,000 150,000 0.1%

Feb 2005

133,032,000 258,000 0.2%

Mar 2005

133,156,000 124,000 0.1%

Apr 2005

133,518,000 362,000 0.3%

May 2005

133,690,000 172,000 0.1%

Jun 2005

133,942,000 252,000 0.2%

Jul 2005

134,296,000 354,000 0.3%

Aug 2005

134,498,000 202,000 0.2%

Sep 2005

134,566,000 68,000 0.1%

Oct 2005

134,655,000 89,000 0.1%

Nov 2005

134,993,000 338,000 0.3%

Dec 2005

135,149,000 156,000 0.1%

Jan 2006

135,429,000 280,000 0.2%

Feb 2006

135,737,000 308,000 0.2%

Mar 2006

136,047,000 310,000 0.2%

Apr 2006

136,205,000 158,000 0.1%

May 2006

136,244,000 39,000 0.0%

Jun 2006

136,325,000 81,000 0.1%

Jul 2006

136,520,000 195,000 0.1%

Aug 2006

136,694,000 174,000 0.1%

Sep 2006

136,843,000 149,000 0.1%

Oct 2006

136,852,000 9,000 0.0%

Nov 2006

137,063,000 211,000 0.2%

Dec 2006

137,249,000 186,000 0.1%

Jan 2007

137,477,000 228,000 0.2%

Feb 2007

137,558,000 81,000 0.1%

Mar 2007

137,793,000 235,000 0.2%

Apr 2007

137,842,000 49,000 0.0%

May 2007

137,993,000 151,000 0.1%

Jun 2007

138,069,000 76,000 0.1%

Jul 2007

138,038,000 -31,000 0.0%

Aug 2007

138,015,000 -23,000 0.0%

Sep 2007

138,095,000 80,000 0.1%

Oct 2007

138,174,000 79,000 0.1%

Nov 2007

138,284,000 110,000 0.1%

Dec 2007

138,392,000 108,000 0.1%

Jan 2008

138,403,000 11,000 0.0%

Feb 2008

138,324,000 -79,000 -0.1%

Mar 2008

138,275,000 -49,000 0.0%

Apr 2008

138,035,000 -240,000 -0.2%

May 2008

137,858,000 -177,000 -0.1%

Jun 2008

137,687,000 -171,000 -0.1%

Jul 2008

137,491,000 -196,000 -0.1%

Aug 2008

137,213,000 -278,000 -0.2%

Sep 2008

136,753,000 -460,000 -0.3%

Oct 2008

136,272,000 -481,000 -0.4%

Nov 2008

135,545,000 -727,000 -0.5%

Dec 2008

134,839,000 -706,000 -0.5%

Jan 2009

134,055,000 -784,000 -0.6%

Feb 2009

133,312,000 -743,000 -0.6%

Mar 2009

132,512,000 -800,000 -0.6%

Apr 2009

131,817,000 -695,000 -0.5%

May 2009

131,475,000 -342,000 -0.3%

Jun 2009

131,008,000 -467,000 -0.4%

Jul 2009

130,668,000 -340,000 -0.3%

Aug 2009

130,485,000 -183,000 -0.1%

Sep 2009

130,244,000 -241,000 -0.2%

Oct 2009

130,045,000 -199,000 -0.2%

Nov 2009

130,057,000 12,000 0.0%

Dec 2009

129,788,000 -269,000 -0.2%

Jan 2010

129,790,000 2,000 0.0%

Feb 2010

129,698,000 -92,000 -0.1%

Mar 2010

129,879,000 181,000 0.1%

Apr 2010

130,110,000 231,000 0.2%

May 2010

130,650,000 540,000 0.4%

Jun 2010

130,511,000 -139,000 -0.1%

Jul 2010

130,427,000 -84,000 -0.1%

Aug 2010

130,422,000 -5,000 0.0%

Sep 2010

130,357,000 -65,000 0.0%

Oct 2010

130,625,000 268,000 0.2%

Nov 2010

130,750,000 125,000 0.1%

Dec 2010

130,822,000 72,000 0.1%

Jan 2011

130,841,000 19,000 0.0%

Feb 2011

131,053,000 212,000 0.2%

Mar 2011

131,288,000 235,000 0.2%

Apr 2011

131,602,000 314,000 0.2%

May 2011

131,703,000 101,000 0.1%

Jun 2011

131,939,000 236,000 0.2%

Jul 2011

131,999,000 60,000 0.0%

Aug 2011

132,125,000 126,000 0.1%

Sep 2011

132,358,000 233,000 0.2%

Oct 2011

132,562,000 204,000 0.2%

Nov 2011

132,694,000 132,000 0.1%

Dec 2011

132,896,000 202,000 0.2%

Jan 2012

133,250,000 354,000 0.3%

Feb 2012

133,512,000 262,000 0.2%

Mar 2012

133,752,000 240,000 0.2%

Apr 2012

133,834,000 82,000 0.1%

May 2012

133,934,000 100,000 0.1%

Jun 2012

134,007,000 73,000 0.1%

Jul 2012

134,159,000 152,000 0.1%

Aug 2012

134,331,000 172,000 0.1%

Sep 2012

134,518,000 187,000 0.1%

Oct 2012

134,677,000 159,000 0.1%

Nov 2012

134,833,000 156,000 0.1%

Dec 2012

135,072,000 239,000 0.2%

Jan 2013

135,263,000 191,000 0.1%

Feb 2013

135,541,000 278,000 0.2%

Mar 2013

135,680,000 139,000 0.1%

Apr 2013

135,871,000 191,000 0.1%

May 2013

136,093,000 222,000 0.2%

Jun 2013

136,274,000 181,000 0.1%

Jul 2013

136,386,000 112,000 0.1%

Aug 2013

136,628,000 242,000 0.2%

Sep 2013

136,815,000 187,000 0.1%

Oct 2013

137,040,000 225,000 0.2%

Nov 2013

137,304,000 264,000 0.2%

Dec 2013

137,373,000 69,000 0.1%

Jan 2014

137,548,000 175,000 0.1%

Feb 2014

137,714,000 166,000 0.1%

Mar 2014

137,968,000 254,000 0.2%

Apr 2014

138,293,000 325,000 0.2%

May 2014

138,511,000 218,000 0.2%

Jun 2014

138,837,000 326,000 0.2%

Jul 2014

139,069,000 232,000 0.2%

Aug 2014

139,257,000 188,000 0.1%

Sep 2014

139,566,000 309,000 0.2%

Oct 2014

139,818,000 252,000 0.2%

Nov 2014

140,109,000 291,000 0.2%

Dec 2014

140,377,000 268,000 0.2%

Jan 2015

140,568,000 191,000 0.1%

Feb 2015

140,839,000 271,000 0.2%

Mar 2015

140,910,000 71,000 0.1%

Apr 2015

141,194,000 284,000 0.2%

May 2015

141,525,000 331,000 0.2%

Jun 2015

141,699,000 174,000 0.1%

Jul 2015

142,001,000 302,000 0.2%

Aug 2015

142,126,000 125,000 0.1%

Sep 2015

142,281,000 155,000 0.1%

Oct 2015

142,587,000 306,000 0.2%

Nov 2015

142,824,000 237,000 0.2%

Dec 2015

143,097,000 273,000 0.2%

Jan 2016

143,170,000 73,000 0.1%

Feb 2016

143,433,000 263,000 0.2%

Mar 2016

143,662,000 229,000 0.2%

Apr 2016

143,849,000 187,000 0.1%

May 2016

143,891,000 42,000 0.0%

Jun 2016

144,158,000 267,000 0.2%

Jul 2016

144,512,000 354,000 0.2%

Aug 2016

144,647,000 135,000 0.1%

Sep 2016

144,916,000 269,000 0.2%

Oct 2016

145,061,000 145,000 0.1%

Nov 2016

145,212,000 151,000 0.1%

Dec 2016

145,442,000 230,000 0.2%

Jan 2017

145,627,000 185,000 0.1%

Feb 2017

145,815,000 188,000 0.1%

Mar 2017

145,944,000 129,000 0.1%

Apr 2017

146,141,000 197,000 0.1%

May 2017

146,296,000 155,000 0.1%

Jun 2017

146,512,000 216,000 0.1%

Jul 2017

146,727,000 215,000 0.1%

Aug 2017

146,911,000 184,000 0.1%

Sep 2017

146,929,000 18,000 0.0%

Oct 2017

147,196,000 267,000 0.2%

Nov 2017

147,421,000 225,000 0.2%

Dec 2017

147,551,000 130,000 0.1%

Jan 2018

147,672,000 121,000 0.1%

Feb 2018

148,078,000 406,000 0.3%

Mar 2018

148,254,000 176,000 0.1%

Apr 2018

148,391,000 137,000 0.1%

May 2018

148,669,000 278,000 0.2%

Jun 2018

148,888,000 219,000 0.1%

Jul 2018

149,024,000 136,000 0.1%

Aug 2018

149,268,000 244,000 0.2%

Sep 2018

149,348,000 80,000 0.1%

Oct 2018

149,549,000 201,000 0.1%

Nov 2018

149,683,000 134,000 0.1%

Dec 2018

149,865,000 182,000 0.1%

Jan 2019

150,134,000 269,000 0.2%

Feb 2019

150,135,000 1,000 0.0%

Mar 2019

150,282,000 147,000 0.1%

Apr 2019

150,492,000 210,000 0.1%

May 2019

150,577,000 85,000 0.1%

Jun 2019

150,759,000 182,000 0.1%

Jul 2019

150,953,000 194,000 0.1%

Aug 2019

151,160,000 207,000 0.1%

Sep 2019

151,368,000 208,000 0.1%

Oct 2019

151,553,000 185,000 0.1%

Nov 2019

151,814,000 261,000 0.2%

Dec 2019

151,998,000 184,000 0.1%

Jan 2020

152,212,000 214,000 0.1%

Feb 2020

152,463,000 251,000 0.2%

Mar 2020

151,090,000 -1,373,000 -0.9%

Apr 2020

130,303,000 -20,787,000 -13.8%

May 2020

133,028,000 2,725,000 2.1%

Jun 2020

137,809,000 4,781,000 3.6%

Jul 2020

139,570,000 1,761,000 1.3%

Aug 2020

141,063,000 1,493,000 1.1%

Sep 2020

141,735,000 672,000 0.5%

Oct 2020

142,373,000 638,000 0.5%

Note: These data are seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent two months are preliminary.

Employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 271,000 in October, with gains in food services and drinking places; arts, entertainment, and recreation; and accommodation. Leisure and hospitality has added 4.8 million jobs since April, but employment in the industry is down by 3.5 million since February.

Professional and business services added 208,000 jobs in October, with temporary help services accounting for about half of the gain. Employment in professional and business services is 1.1 million below its February level.

In October, retail trade added 104,000 jobs, with almost one-third of the gain in electronics and appliance stores. Employment in retail trade has risen by 1.9 million since April but is 499,000 below its February level.

Construction added 84,000 jobs in October and has added 789,000 jobs in the last 6 months, but employment is down by 294,000 since February.

Employment in health care and social assistance rose by 79,000 in October but is down by 950,000 since February.

Manufacturing employment rose by 38,000 in October but is 621,000 lower than in February.

Government employment fell by 268,000 in October. A decrease of 138,000 in federal government was driven by a loss of 147,000 temporary 2020 Census workers. Job losses also occurred in local government education and state government education

These data are from the Current Employment Statistics program and are seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent 2 months are preliminary. To learn more, see "The Employment Situation — October 2020." Also see more charts of national employment, hours, and earnings data and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the October data

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Payroll employment rose by 638,000 in October 2020 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2020/payroll-employment-rose-by-638000-in-october-2020.htm (visited October 31, 2024).

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