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News Release Information

24-1560-CHI
Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (312) 353-1138

Business Employment Dynamics in Iowa — Fourth Quarter 2023

From September 2023 to December 2023, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments were 78,723, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments in Iowa were 74,153, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment gain of 4,570 jobs in the private sector during the fourth quarter of 2023. During the previous quarter, gross job losses exceeded gross job gains by 4,391. (See chart 1.)


The change in the number of jobs over time is the net result of increases and decreases in employment that occur at all private businesses in the economy. Business Employment Dynamics (BED) statistics track these changes in employment at private-sector establishments from the third month of one quarter to the third month of the next. The difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses is the net change in employment. (See the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.)

Gross job gains

In the fourth quarter of 2023, gross job gains represented 6.0 percent of private-sector employment in Iowa; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.9 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 2.) Gross job gains are the sum of increases in employment due to expansions at existing establishments and the addition of new jobs at opening establishments. In Iowa, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 63,669 in the fourth quarter of 2023, an increase of 5,780 jobs compared to the previous quarter. (See table 1.) Opening establishments accounted for 15,054 jobs gained in the fourth quarter of 2023, an increase of 1,143 jobs from the previous quarter.


Gross job losses

In the fourth quarter of 2023, gross job losses represented 5.7 percent of private-sector employment in Iowa; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.6 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 3.) Gross job losses are the result of contractions in employment at existing establishments and the loss of jobs at closing establishments. In Iowa, contracting establishments lost 62,800 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2023, an increase of 151 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 11,353 jobs, a decrease of 2,189 jobs from the previous quarter.


Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 6 of the 10 industry sectors in Iowa in the fourth quarter of 2023. Leisure and hospitality had the largest net job increase over the quarter, with a gain of 2,345 jobs. This was the result of 14,822 gross job gains and 12,477 gross job losses. Manufacturing showed a net loss of 1,366 jobs, the largest loss of any sector in the state. Iowa’s professional and business services sector had a net loss of 1,279 jobs.

For more information

The BED data series include gross job gains and gross job losses by industry subsector, for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, as well as gross job gains and gross job losses at the firm level by employer size class. BED data for the states have been included in table 2 of this release. Additional information is available online at the Business Employment Dynamics Home.

The Business Employment Dynamics for First Quarter 2024 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, October 30, 2024.

Revisions to Business Employment Dynamics (BED) Data

The release of First Quarter 2024 Business Employment Dynamics data, scheduled for October 30, 2024, will incorporate annual revisions in accordance with standard procedures. The revisions will include the previous four quarters of not seasonally adjusted data and five years of seasonally adjusted data.


Technical Note

The Business Employment Dynamics (BED) data are a product of a federal-state cooperative program known as Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). The BED data are compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) from existing QCEW records.

More information on formal definitions of the data used in this release, along with coverage, concepts, and methodology, can be found in the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.

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. Private-sector gross job gains and losses by industry, Iowa, seasonally adjusted
CategoryGross job gains and losses
(3 months ended)
Gross job gains and losses
as a percent of employment
(3 months ended)
Dec.
2022
Mar.
2023
June
2023
Sept.
2023
Dec.
2023
Dec.
2022
Mar.
2023
June
2023
Sept.
2023
Dec.
2023

Total private (1)

Gross job gains

83,52179,07279,01771,80078,7236.46.06.05.56.0

At expanding establishments

68,85064,42765,90457,88963,6695.34.95.04.44.9

At opening establishments

14,67114,64513,11313,91115,0541.11.11.01.11.1

Gross job losses

80,75569,86677,59976,19174,1536.25.45.95.85.7

At contracting establishments

67,31657,07064,37062,64962,8005.24.44.94.84.8

At closing establishments

13,43912,79613,22913,54211,3531.01.01.01.00.9

Net employment change (2)

2,7669,2061,418-4,3914,5700.20.60.1-0.30.3

Construction

Gross job gains

7,6379,7088,6667,1948,7039.511.610.38.810.4

At expanding establishments

5,7407,6847,2285,5366,6107.19.28.66.87.9

At opening establishments

1,8972,0241,4381,6582,0932.42.41.72.02.5

Gross job losses

8,3107,3897,7427,9237,54610.38.99.39.79.1

At contracting establishments

6,7496,0065,9336,2846,2358.47.27.17.77.5

At closing establishments

1,5611,3831,8091,6391,3111.91.72.22.01.6

Net employment change (2)

-6732,319924-7291,157-0.82.71.0-0.91.3

Manufacturing

Gross job gains

7,4526,7716,5776,0155,9113.43.02.92.62.7

At expanding establishments

6,8786,0575,9565,4545,5533.12.72.62.42.5

At opening establishments

5747146215613580.30.30.30.20.2

Gross job losses

6,5545,7046,9816,0767,2773.02.53.12.73.2

At contracting establishments

5,9815,2426,0715,7186,9752.72.32.72.53.1

At closing establishments

5734629103583020.30.20.40.20.1

Net employment change (2)

8981,067-404-61-1,3660.40.5-0.2-0.1-0.5

Wholesale trade

Gross job gains

3,7093,3393,1053,0903,8675.65.04.64.65.7

At expanding establishments

3,2712,6712,6732,5133,2764.94.04.03.74.8

At opening establishments

4386684325775910.71.00.60.90.9

Gross job losses

2,7013,0843,2743,3652,9184.14.64.95.04.3

At contracting establishments

2,1082,5432,7572,6942,3023.23.84.14.03.4

At closing establishments

5935415176716160.90.80.81.00.9

Net employment change (2)

1,008255-169-2759491.50.4-0.3-0.41.4

Retail trade

Gross job gains

9,3819,7448,6239,5518,9455.45.64.95.55.1

At expanding establishments

8,5098,6017,5718,5207,6514.94.94.34.94.4

At opening establishments

8721,1431,0521,0311,2940.50.70.60.60.7

Gross job losses

9,9798,1719,6269,5109,1045.84.75.55.45.2

At contracting establishments

9,0127,3098,7518,3907,8245.24.25.04.84.5

At closing establishments

9678628751,1201,2800.60.50.50.60.7

Net employment change (2)

-5981,573-1,00341-159-0.40.9-0.60.1-0.1

Transportation and warehousing

Gross job gains

4,9452,9253,7952,8635,2567.74.66.14.68.4

At expanding establishments

4,5152,4703,1742,4614,6807.03.95.14.07.5

At opening establishments

4304556214025760.70.71.00.60.9

Gross job losses

4,1964,4974,3533,9983,4826.57.16.96.55.6

At contracting establishments

3,5883,9483,8943,5953,1785.66.26.25.85.1

At closing establishments

6085494594033040.90.90.70.70.5

Net employment change (2)

749-1,572-558-1,1351,7741.2-2.5-0.8-1.92.8

Financial activities

Gross job gains

4,8984,0065,4774,3794,3644.53.75.04.04.1

At expanding establishments

3,9143,2314,8013,3743,6273.63.04.43.13.4

At opening establishments

9847756761,0057370.90.70.60.90.7

Gross job losses

5,0494,1595,7284,4274,9714.73.95.34.14.6

At contracting establishments

4,1803,2244,8143,6164,1173.93.04.53.33.8

At closing establishments

8699359148118540.80.90.80.80.8

Net employment change (2)

-151-153-251-48-607-0.2-0.2-0.3-0.1-0.5

Professional and business services

Gross job gains

11,52210,55311,3169,79010,1267.97.37.86.77.0

At expanding establishments

8,9978,1248,9807,0267,3186.25.66.24.85.1

At opening establishments

2,5252,4292,3362,7642,8081.71.71.61.91.9

Gross job losses

11,09410,54110,45411,45211,4057.67.27.27.97.9

At contracting establishments

8,5708,3388,2418,7349,0025.95.75.76.06.2

At closing establishments

2,5242,2032,2132,7182,4031.71.51.51.91.7

Net employment change (2)

42812862-1,662-1,2790.30.10.6-1.2-0.9

Education and health services

Gross job gains

12,87111,46111,19310,80110,6836.15.45.35.05.0

At expanding establishments

10,7829,4939,5319,2578,5755.14.54.54.34.0

At opening establishments

2,0891,9681,6621,5442,1081.00.90.80.71.0

Gross job losses

13,5679,4499,6609,9189,2996.44.54.54.64.3

At contracting establishments

11,2157,3498,0967,8467,9635.33.53.83.63.7

At closing establishments

2,3522,1001,5642,0721,3361.11.00.71.00.6

Net employment change (2)

-6962,0121,5338831,384-0.30.90.80.40.7

Leisure and hospitality

Gross job gains

14,60114,39213,93712,33814,82210.710.410.08.810.5

At expanding establishments

11,37611,51610,9169,14511,5328.38.37.86.58.2

At opening establishments

3,2252,8763,0213,1933,2902.42.12.22.32.3

Gross job losses

13,04311,24114,01313,86512,4779.58.110.09.98.8

At contracting establishments

10,7868,54411,64211,44410,4507.96.28.38.27.4

At closing establishments

2,2572,6972,3712,4212,0271.61.91.71.71.4

Net employment change (2)

1,5583,151-76-1,5272,3451.22.30.0-1.11.7

Other services (3)

Gross job gains

3,1093,1302,9222,6782,9468.18.07.46.87.4

At expanding establishments

2,3362,3452,4072,0632,3916.16.06.15.26.0

At opening establishments

7737855156155552.02.01.31.61.4

Gross job losses

2,8532,4702,5372,7862,4967.56.36.57.16.3

At contracting establishments

2,1811,9871,9632,1602,1015.75.15.05.55.3

At closing establishments

6724835746263951.81.21.51.61.0

Net employment change (2)

256660385-1084500.61.70.9-0.31.1

Footnotes:
(1) Includes unclassified sector not shown separately.
(2) The net employment change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses. See the Technical Note for further information.
(3) Except public administration.

Table 2. Private-sector gross job gains and losses as a percent of total employment by state, seasonally adjusted
CategoryGross job gains as a percent of employment
(3 months ended)
Gross job losses as a percent of employment
(3 months ended)
Dec.
2022
Mar.
2023
June
2023
Sept.
2023
Dec.
2023
Dec.
2022
Mar.
2023
June
2023
Sept.
2023
Dec.
2023

United States(1)

6.36.26.25.85.95.95.45.95.95.6

Alabama

6.66.45.95.96.26.15.55.76.05.8

Alaska

10.910.411.08.510.19.28.08.910.59.9

Arizona

6.65.97.06.76.66.05.46.55.96.9

Arkansas

6.25.85.85.66.15.25.06.05.75.3

California

6.66.16.76.26.36.66.46.46.56.5

Colorado

7.67.27.35.58.46.96.56.66.27.5

Connecticut

5.96.16.45.85.65.95.35.76.25.7

Delaware

7.06.76.06.06.27.55.25.76.55.9

District of Columbia

5.65.95.45.55.25.54.85.35.45.6

Florida

6.26.36.86.55.96.05.65.85.85.8

Georgia

6.76.26.46.16.15.95.86.56.15.7

Hawaii

6.05.55.75.36.14.95.05.26.95.0

Idaho

8.47.97.97.38.56.97.57.58.25.8

Illinois

5.45.85.44.84.95.14.85.35.55.1

Indiana

5.75.55.55.85.65.25.06.15.85.3

Iowa

6.46.06.05.56.06.25.45.95.85.7

Kansas

6.36.16.15.75.85.65.46.06.05.4

Kentucky

6.06.15.65.75.75.34.95.95.55.2

Louisiana

6.16.36.16.26.26.25.66.46.06.1

Maine

7.47.77.66.87.36.86.27.67.87.0

Maryland

6.66.86.76.46.36.95.66.36.55.9

Massachusetts

5.55.85.95.45.35.84.75.76.15.6

Michigan

5.95.75.95.25.55.24.95.35.95.6

Minnesota

5.95.76.03.16.85.84.95.64.27.0

Mississippi

6.86.16.36.26.16.25.76.66.25.7

Missouri

6.16.55.95.66.05.85.15.95.85.6

Montana

9.28.77.87.78.87.87.18.48.57.2

Nebraska

6.06.36.06.05.95.75.15.65.95.6

Nevada

6.46.26.66.56.66.15.76.05.55.1

New Hampshire

6.77.06.75.96.26.05.96.36.75.9

New Jersey

6.86.16.85.95.95.95.75.95.95.8

New Mexico

6.76.86.46.16.96.25.96.26.75.8

New York

5.96.56.35.85.86.05.15.76.15.7

North Carolina

6.66.46.15.66.15.75.35.76.24.7

North Dakota

6.47.66.96.66.76.75.66.76.66.3

Ohio

5.95.85.65.25.35.74.95.75.75.2

Oklahoma

6.66.36.26.26.15.95.36.06.05.7

Oregon

6.57.36.46.16.16.26.16.96.96.3

Pennsylvania

5.55.55.25.25.25.24.65.55.24.9

Rhode Island

6.97.56.76.56.86.45.97.06.86.4

South Carolina

6.96.86.46.86.26.25.86.85.75.4

South Dakota

6.57.26.86.36.66.55.96.26.35.9

Tennessee

5.85.95.92.74.95.65.05.54.24.6

Texas

6.25.95.85.75.75.35.05.45.55.2

Utah

6.97.06.86.86.46.66.26.26.56.2

Vermont

7.88.27.46.37.27.06.07.58.06.6

Virginia

6.26.26.05.85.95.85.25.86.05.6

Washington

5.96.46.05.46.05.35.55.66.05.2

West Virginia

6.67.16.16.56.16.45.36.16.56.5

Wisconsin

6.06.05.65.25.45.54.95.95.95.1

Wyoming

9.28.98.48.28.87.97.88.78.28.3

Puerto Rico

6.65.15.85.74.96.15.74.95.44.8

Virgin Islands

5.97.57.48.25.74.76.56.87.15.8

Footnotes
(1) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. The sum of the states will not necessarily add to the U.S. total because of the independent seasonal adjustment of each state.

 

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, July 31, 2024