Total nonfarm employment for the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, metropolitan area increased by 66,200 over the year in July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See chart 1 and table 1.) Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall Bovee noted that the local rate of job gain, 2.2 percent, compared to the 1.6-percent national increase. (All data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year analysis is used throughout.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year net change for total nonfarm employment in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, July 2021–July 2024

Period	Net change (in thousands)
Jul 2021	174.7
Aug 2021	151.0
Sep 2021	125.1
Oct 2021	125.3
Nov 2021	138.3
Dec 2021	165.7
Jan 2022	150.9
Feb 2022	171.3
Mar 2022	163.8
Apr 2022	161.6
May 2022	159.9
Jun 2022	150.2
Jul 2022	145.2
Aug 2022	143.7
Sep 2022	148.2
Oct 2022	117.3
Nov 2022	106.0
Dec 2022	94.0
Jan 2023	106.1
Feb 2023	84.0
Mar 2023	80.1
Apr 2023	65.8
May 2023	69.5
Jun 2023	74.1
Jul 2023	51.9
Aug 2023	48.7
Sep 2023	53.2
Oct 2023	58.6
Nov 2023	54.9
Dec 2023	45.8
Jan 2024	31.3
Feb 2024	34.7
Mar 2024	31.5
Apr 2024	37.5
May 2024	43.5
Jun 2024	57.3
Jul 2024	66.2

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, is made up of four metropolitan divisions—separately identifiable employment centers within the greater metropolitan area. Philadelphia, PA, with 33 percent of the metropolitan area’s total nonfarm employment, added 27,400 jobs over the year. Camden, NJ, which accounted for 19 percent of the area’s employment, gained 18,100 jobs since July 2023. Montgomery County-Bucks County-Chester County, PA, with 36 percent of area employment, had 1,137,200 jobs, not significantly different over the year. Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ, had 385,400 jobs as of July 2024, which made up 12 percent of the area’s employment.

In Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, education and health services had the largest gain (+33,900) among the metropolitan area’s private-industry supersectors. (See chart 2.) With three out of four divisions contributing to the increase, most of the employment added in this supersector was concentrated in the health care and social assistance sector (+29,800 jobs).  The 4.9-percent rise in the metropolitan area’s education and health services supersector compared to the 3.9-percent increase on a national level.

Leisure and hospitality employment rose by 13,600 jobs over the year in the metropolitan area. In this supersector, the accommodation and food services sector gained 10,600 jobs. The metropolitan area had a 4.7-percent gain, compared to the 1.5-percent increase for the nation.

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year net change for industry supersector employment in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, July 2024

Industry	Net change (in thousands)
Education and health services*	33.9
Leisure and hospitality*	13.6
Professional and business services	5.8
Other services	2.6
Mining, logging, and construction	2.5
Financial activities	2.1
Information	-0.5
Manufacturing	-1.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities	-1.4
Note: An asterisk indicates statistical significance at the 90-percent confidence level. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, 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.

  

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Chart 3. Over-the-year net change in total nonfarm employment for the 12 largest metropolitan areas, July 2024 (in thousands)

Area	Net change (in thousands)
New York*	202.9
Los Angeles*	105.0
Miami*	75.3
Houston*	74.5
Philadelphia*	66.2
Phoenix*	61.6
Dallas*	55.4
Atlanta*	51.2
Boston*	30.7
Washington	28.4
San Francisco	20.3
Chicago	6.6
Note: An asterisk indicates statistical significance at the 90-percent confidence level. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment release for August 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area includes Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania; Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem Counties in New Jersey; New Castle County in Delaware; and Cecil County in Maryland.

• The Camden, NJ Metropolitan Division includes Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester Counties in New Jersey.

• The Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division includes Delaware and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania.

• The Montgomery County-Bucks County-Chester County, PA Metropolitan Division includes Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery Counties in Pennsylvania.

• The Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division includes New Castle County in Delaware; Cecil County in Maryland; and Salem County in New Jersey.

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, Philadelphia metropolitan area and its components, not seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands)

Area	Back data	Jul 2023	May 2024	Jun 2024	Jul 2024(p)	Jul 2023 to Jul 2024(p)
						Net change	Percent change
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area
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
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division
Total nonfarm		990.2	1,022.3	1,023.6	1,017.6	27.4	2.8
Mining, logging, and construction		26.1	25.7	26.2	26.6	0.5	1.9
Manufacturing		32.7	32.6	32.8	32.9	0.2	0.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities		129.3	126.9	127.0	127.5	-1.8	-1.4
Information		19.0	18.5	18.4	18.6	-0.4	-2.1
Financial activities		65.3	64.7	65.8	65.5	0.2	0.3
Professional and business services		149.0	149.3	151.7	151.2	2.2	1.5
Education and health services		308.0	331.4	324.0	322.6	14.6	4.7
Leisure and hospitality		97.1	102.6	106.8	106.0	8.9	9.2
Other services		40.7	41.3	41.8	42.0	1.3	3.2
Government		123.0	129.3	129.1	124.7	1.7	1.4
Philadelphia City, PA
Total nonfarm		754.1	780.9	781.4	777.3	23.2	3.1
Mining, logging, and construction		12.9	13.0	13.2	13.4	0.5	3.9
Manufacturing		19.5	19.6	19.7	19.7	0.2	1.0
Trade, transportation, and utilities		86.6	84.9	84.8	85.1	-1.5	-1.7
Information		15.9	15.6	15.5	15.7	-0.2	-1.3
Financial activities		50.3	49.9	50.8	50.5	0.2	0.4
Professional and business services		115.6	116.4	118.4	117.8	2.2	1.9
Education and health services		249.4	267.7	261.8	260.7	11.3	4.5
Leisure and hospitality		73.4	79.1	82.1	81.4	8.0	10.9
Other services		29.1	29.5	29.7	29.9	0.8	2.7
Government		101.4	105.2	105.4	103.1	1.7	1.7
Delaware County, PA
Total nonfarm		236.1	241.4	242.2	240.3	4.2	1.8
Mining, logging, and construction		13.2	12.7	13.0	13.2	0.0	0.0
Manufacturing		13.2	13.0	13.1	13.2	0.0	0.0
Trade, transportation, and utilities		42.7	42.0	42.2	42.4	-0.3	-0.7
Information		3.1	2.9	2.9	2.9	-0.2	-6.5
Financial activities		15.0	14.8	15.0	15.0	0.0	0.0
Professional and business services		33.4	32.9	33.3	33.4	0.0	0.0
Education and health services		58.6	63.7	62.2	61.9	3.3	5.6
Leisure and hospitality		23.7	23.5	24.7	24.6	0.9	3.8
Other services		11.6	11.8	12.1	12.1	0.5	4.3
Government		21.6	24.1	23.7	21.6	0.0	0.0
Montgomery County-Bucks County-Chester County, PA Metropolitan Division
Total nonfarm		1,124.5	1,130.8	1,141.5	1,137.2	12.7	1.1
Mining, logging, and construction		59.9	57.9	58.4	59.8	-0.1	-0.2
Manufacturing		91.1	89.7	90.5	90.1	-1.0	-1.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities		202.4	201.8	202.3	202.6	0.2	0.1
Information		25.7	25.5	25.2	25.6	-0.1	-0.4
Financial activities		90.2	90.4	91.6	91.3	1.1	1.2
Professional and business services		217.7	214.0	215.7	215.4	-2.3	-1.1
Education and health services		209.5	221.2	222.1	220.8	11.3	5.4
Leisure and hospitality		100.6	95.8	100.7	100.7	0.1	0.1
Other services		48.4	48.7	50.1	49.9	1.5	3.1
Government		79.0	85.8	84.9	81.0	2.0	2.5
Camden, NJ Metropolitan Division
Total nonfarm		566.2	584.3	591.6	584.3	18.1	3.2
Mining, logging, and construction		23.8	24.6	25.1	25.4	1.6	6.7
Manufacturing		41.2	41.1	41.0	40.5	-0.7	-1.7
Trade, transportation, and utilities		134.8	135.3	136.6	135.8	1.0	0.7
Information		6.1	6.3	6.2	6.2	0.1	1.6
Financial activities		30.1	29.9	30.0	29.9	-0.2	-0.7
Professional and business services		78.8	82.5	83.6	83.1	4.3	5.5
Education and health services		107.6	113.7	114.5	114.3	6.7	6.2
Leisure and hospitality		54.3	51.9	54.9	56.8	2.5	4.6
Other services		21.0	21.2	21.6	20.9	-0.1	-0.5
Government		68.5	77.8	78.1	71.4	2.9	4.2
Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division
Total nonfarm		377.4	386.1	386.5	385.4	8.0	2.1
Mining, logging, and construction		17.8	18.0	18.3	18.3	0.5	2.8
Manufacturing		18.1	18.1	18.1	18.3	0.2	1.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities		75.9	75.1	75.1	75.1	-0.8	-1.1
Information		2.7	2.7	2.7	2.6	-0.1	-3.7
Financial activities		45.4	46.0	46.2	46.4	1.0	2.2
Professional and business services		52.2	53.1	53.6	53.8	1.6	3.1
Education and health services		64.6	66.3	66.1	65.9	1.3	2.0
Leisure and hospitality		37.7	37.4	39.6	39.8	2.1	5.6
Other services		14.3	14.2	14.3	14.2	-0.1	-0.7
Government		48.7	55.2	52.5	51.0	2.3	4.7
Footnotes (p) Preliminary
SOURCE: Current Employment Statistics - National - State and Metropolitan Area Return to Mid-Atlantic Information Office Homepage