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.

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

Category	Gross 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	83,521	79,072	79,017	71,800	78,723	6.4	6.0	6.0	5.5	6.0
At expanding establishments	68,850	64,427	65,904	57,889	63,669	5.3	4.9	5.0	4.4	4.9
At opening establishments	14,671	14,645	13,113	13,911	15,054	1.1	1.1	1.0	1.1	1.1
Gross job losses	80,755	69,866	77,599	76,191	74,153	6.2	5.4	5.9	5.8	5.7
At contracting establishments	67,316	57,070	64,370	62,649	62,800	5.2	4.4	4.9	4.8	4.8
At closing establishments	13,439	12,796	13,229	13,542	11,353	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	0.9
Net employment change (2)	2,766	9,206	1,418	-4,391	4,570	0.2	0.6	0.1	-0.3	0.3
Construction
Gross job gains	7,637	9,708	8,666	7,194	8,703	9.5	11.6	10.3	8.8	10.4
At expanding establishments	5,740	7,684	7,228	5,536	6,610	7.1	9.2	8.6	6.8	7.9
At opening establishments	1,897	2,024	1,438	1,658	2,093	2.4	2.4	1.7	2.0	2.5
Gross job losses	8,310	7,389	7,742	7,923	7,546	10.3	8.9	9.3	9.7	9.1
At contracting establishments	6,749	6,006	5,933	6,284	6,235	8.4	7.2	7.1	7.7	7.5
At closing establishments	1,561	1,383	1,809	1,639	1,311	1.9	1.7	2.2	2.0	1.6
Net employment change (2)	-673	2,319	924	-729	1,157	-0.8	2.7	1.0	-0.9	1.3
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	7,452	6,771	6,577	6,015	5,911	3.4	3.0	2.9	2.6	2.7
At expanding establishments	6,878	6,057	5,956	5,454	5,553	3.1	2.7	2.6	2.4	2.5
At opening establishments	574	714	621	561	358	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2
Gross job losses	6,554	5,704	6,981	6,076	7,277	3.0	2.5	3.1	2.7	3.2
At contracting establishments	5,981	5,242	6,071	5,718	6,975	2.7	2.3	2.7	2.5	3.1
At closing establishments	573	462	910	358	302	0.3	0.2	0.4	0.2	0.1
Net employment change (2)	898	1,067	-404	-61	-1,366	0.4	0.5	-0.2	-0.1	-0.5
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	3,709	3,339	3,105	3,090	3,867	5.6	5.0	4.6	4.6	5.7
At expanding establishments	3,271	2,671	2,673	2,513	3,276	4.9	4.0	4.0	3.7	4.8
At opening establishments	438	668	432	577	591	0.7	1.0	0.6	0.9	0.9
Gross job losses	2,701	3,084	3,274	3,365	2,918	4.1	4.6	4.9	5.0	4.3
At contracting establishments	2,108	2,543	2,757	2,694	2,302	3.2	3.8	4.1	4.0	3.4
At closing establishments	593	541	517	671	616	0.9	0.8	0.8	1.0	0.9
Net employment change (2)	1,008	255	-169	-275	949	1.5	0.4	-0.3	-0.4	1.4
Retail trade
Gross job gains	9,381	9,744	8,623	9,551	8,945	5.4	5.6	4.9	5.5	5.1
At expanding establishments	8,509	8,601	7,571	8,520	7,651	4.9	4.9	4.3	4.9	4.4
At opening establishments	872	1,143	1,052	1,031	1,294	0.5	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.7
Gross job losses	9,979	8,171	9,626	9,510	9,104	5.8	4.7	5.5	5.4	5.2
At contracting establishments	9,012	7,309	8,751	8,390	7,824	5.2	4.2	5.0	4.8	4.5
At closing establishments	967	862	875	1,120	1,280	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.7
Net employment change (2)	-598	1,573	-1,003	41	-159	-0.4	0.9	-0.6	0.1	-0.1
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	4,945	2,925	3,795	2,863	5,256	7.7	4.6	6.1	4.6	8.4
At expanding establishments	4,515	2,470	3,174	2,461	4,680	7.0	3.9	5.1	4.0	7.5
At opening establishments	430	455	621	402	576	0.7	0.7	1.0	0.6	0.9
Gross job losses	4,196	4,497	4,353	3,998	3,482	6.5	7.1	6.9	6.5	5.6
At contracting establishments	3,588	3,948	3,894	3,595	3,178	5.6	6.2	6.2	5.8	5.1
At closing establishments	608	549	459	403	304	0.9	0.9	0.7	0.7	0.5
Net employment change (2)	749	-1,572	-558	-1,135	1,774	1.2	-2.5	-0.8	-1.9	2.8
Financial activities
Gross job gains	4,898	4,006	5,477	4,379	4,364	4.5	3.7	5.0	4.0	4.1
At expanding establishments	3,914	3,231	4,801	3,374	3,627	3.6	3.0	4.4	3.1	3.4
At opening establishments	984	775	676	1,005	737	0.9	0.7	0.6	0.9	0.7
Gross job losses	5,049	4,159	5,728	4,427	4,971	4.7	3.9	5.3	4.1	4.6
At contracting establishments	4,180	3,224	4,814	3,616	4,117	3.9	3.0	4.5	3.3	3.8
At closing establishments	869	935	914	811	854	0.8	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.8
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	11,522	10,553	11,316	9,790	10,126	7.9	7.3	7.8	6.7	7.0
At expanding establishments	8,997	8,124	8,980	7,026	7,318	6.2	5.6	6.2	4.8	5.1
At opening establishments	2,525	2,429	2,336	2,764	2,808	1.7	1.7	1.6	1.9	1.9
Gross job losses	11,094	10,541	10,454	11,452	11,405	7.6	7.2	7.2	7.9	7.9
At contracting establishments	8,570	8,338	8,241	8,734	9,002	5.9	5.7	5.7	6.0	6.2
At closing establishments	2,524	2,203	2,213	2,718	2,403	1.7	1.5	1.5	1.9	1.7
Net employment change (2)	428	12	862	-1,662	-1,279	0.3	0.1	0.6	-1.2	-0.9
Education and health services
Gross job gains	12,871	11,461	11,193	10,801	10,683	6.1	5.4	5.3	5.0	5.0
At expanding establishments	10,782	9,493	9,531	9,257	8,575	5.1	4.5	4.5	4.3	4.0
At opening establishments	2,089	1,968	1,662	1,544	2,108	1.0	0.9	0.8	0.7	1.0
Gross job losses	13,567	9,449	9,660	9,918	9,299	6.4	4.5	4.5	4.6	4.3
At contracting establishments	11,215	7,349	8,096	7,846	7,963	5.3	3.5	3.8	3.6	3.7
At closing establishments	2,352	2,100	1,564	2,072	1,336	1.1	1.0	0.7	1.0	0.6
Net employment change (2)	-696	2,012	1,533	883	1,384	-0.3	0.9	0.8	0.4	0.7
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	14,601	14,392	13,937	12,338	14,822	10.7	10.4	10.0	8.8	10.5
At expanding establishments	11,376	11,516	10,916	9,145	11,532	8.3	8.3	7.8	6.5	8.2
At opening establishments	3,225	2,876	3,021	3,193	3,290	2.4	2.1	2.2	2.3	2.3
Gross job losses	13,043	11,241	14,013	13,865	12,477	9.5	8.1	10.0	9.9	8.8
At contracting establishments	10,786	8,544	11,642	11,444	10,450	7.9	6.2	8.3	8.2	7.4
At closing establishments	2,257	2,697	2,371	2,421	2,027	1.6	1.9	1.7	1.7	1.4
Net employment change (2)	1,558	3,151	-76	-1,527	2,345	1.2	2.3	0.0	-1.1	1.7
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	3,109	3,130	2,922	2,678	2,946	8.1	8.0	7.4	6.8	7.4
At expanding establishments	2,336	2,345	2,407	2,063	2,391	6.1	6.0	6.1	5.2	6.0
At opening establishments	773	785	515	615	555	2.0	2.0	1.3	1.6	1.4
Gross job losses	2,853	2,470	2,537	2,786	2,496	7.5	6.3	6.5	7.1	6.3
At contracting establishments	2,181	1,987	1,963	2,160	2,101	5.7	5.1	5.0	5.5	5.3
At closing establishments	672	483	574	626	395	1.8	1.2	1.5	1.6	1.0
Net employment change (2)	256	660	385	-108	450	0.6	1.7	0.9	-0.3	1.1
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

Category	Gross 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)	6.3	6.2	6.2	5.8	5.9	5.9	5.4	5.9	5.9	5.6
Alabama	6.6	6.4	5.9	5.9	6.2	6.1	5.5	5.7	6.0	5.8
Alaska	10.9	10.4	11.0	8.5	10.1	9.2	8.0	8.9	10.5	9.9
Arizona	6.6	5.9	7.0	6.7	6.6	6.0	5.4	6.5	5.9	6.9
Arkansas	6.2	5.8	5.8	5.6	6.1	5.2	5.0	6.0	5.7	5.3
California	6.6	6.1	6.7	6.2	6.3	6.6	6.4	6.4	6.5	6.5
Colorado	7.6	7.2	7.3	5.5	8.4	6.9	6.5	6.6	6.2	7.5
Connecticut	5.9	6.1	6.4	5.8	5.6	5.9	5.3	5.7	6.2	5.7
Delaware	7.0	6.7	6.0	6.0	6.2	7.5	5.2	5.7	6.5	5.9
District of Columbia	5.6	5.9	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.5	4.8	5.3	5.4	5.6
Florida	6.2	6.3	6.8	6.5	5.9	6.0	5.6	5.8	5.8	5.8
Georgia	6.7	6.2	6.4	6.1	6.1	5.9	5.8	6.5	6.1	5.7
Hawaii	6.0	5.5	5.7	5.3	6.1	4.9	5.0	5.2	6.9	5.0
Idaho	8.4	7.9	7.9	7.3	8.5	6.9	7.5	7.5	8.2	5.8
Illinois	5.4	5.8	5.4	4.8	4.9	5.1	4.8	5.3	5.5	5.1
Indiana	5.7	5.5	5.5	5.8	5.6	5.2	5.0	6.1	5.8	5.3
Iowa	6.4	6.0	6.0	5.5	6.0	6.2	5.4	5.9	5.8	5.7
Kansas	6.3	6.1	6.1	5.7	5.8	5.6	5.4	6.0	6.0	5.4
Kentucky	6.0	6.1	5.6	5.7	5.7	5.3	4.9	5.9	5.5	5.2
Louisiana	6.1	6.3	6.1	6.2	6.2	6.2	5.6	6.4	6.0	6.1
Maine	7.4	7.7	7.6	6.8	7.3	6.8	6.2	7.6	7.8	7.0
Maryland	6.6	6.8	6.7	6.4	6.3	6.9	5.6	6.3	6.5	5.9
Massachusetts	5.5	5.8	5.9	5.4	5.3	5.8	4.7	5.7	6.1	5.6
Michigan	5.9	5.7	5.9	5.2	5.5	5.2	4.9	5.3	5.9	5.6
Minnesota	5.9	5.7	6.0	3.1	6.8	5.8	4.9	5.6	4.2	7.0
Mississippi	6.8	6.1	6.3	6.2	6.1	6.2	5.7	6.6	6.2	5.7
Missouri	6.1	6.5	5.9	5.6	6.0	5.8	5.1	5.9	5.8	5.6
Montana	9.2	8.7	7.8	7.7	8.8	7.8	7.1	8.4	8.5	7.2
Nebraska	6.0	6.3	6.0	6.0	5.9	5.7	5.1	5.6	5.9	5.6
Nevada	6.4	6.2	6.6	6.5	6.6	6.1	5.7	6.0	5.5	5.1
New Hampshire	6.7	7.0	6.7	5.9	6.2	6.0	5.9	6.3	6.7	5.9
New Jersey	6.8	6.1	6.8	5.9	5.9	5.9	5.7	5.9	5.9	5.8
New Mexico	6.7	6.8	6.4	6.1	6.9	6.2	5.9	6.2	6.7	5.8
New York	5.9	6.5	6.3	5.8	5.8	6.0	5.1	5.7	6.1	5.7
North Carolina	6.6	6.4	6.1	5.6	6.1	5.7	5.3	5.7	6.2	4.7
North Dakota	6.4	7.6	6.9	6.6	6.7	6.7	5.6	6.7	6.6	6.3
Ohio	5.9	5.8	5.6	5.2	5.3	5.7	4.9	5.7	5.7	5.2
Oklahoma	6.6	6.3	6.2	6.2	6.1	5.9	5.3	6.0	6.0	5.7
Oregon	6.5	7.3	6.4	6.1	6.1	6.2	6.1	6.9	6.9	6.3
Pennsylvania	5.5	5.5	5.2	5.2	5.2	5.2	4.6	5.5	5.2	4.9
Rhode Island	6.9	7.5	6.7	6.5	6.8	6.4	5.9	7.0	6.8	6.4
South Carolina	6.9	6.8	6.4	6.8	6.2	6.2	5.8	6.8	5.7	5.4
South Dakota	6.5	7.2	6.8	6.3	6.6	6.5	5.9	6.2	6.3	5.9
Tennessee	5.8	5.9	5.9	2.7	4.9	5.6	5.0	5.5	4.2	4.6
Texas	6.2	5.9	5.8	5.7	5.7	5.3	5.0	5.4	5.5	5.2
Utah	6.9	7.0	6.8	6.8	6.4	6.6	6.2	6.2	6.5	6.2
Vermont	7.8	8.2	7.4	6.3	7.2	7.0	6.0	7.5	8.0	6.6
Virginia	6.2	6.2	6.0	5.8	5.9	5.8	5.2	5.8	6.0	5.6
Washington	5.9	6.4	6.0	5.4	6.0	5.3	5.5	5.6	6.0	5.2
West Virginia	6.6	7.1	6.1	6.5	6.1	6.4	5.3	6.1	6.5	6.5
Wisconsin	6.0	6.0	5.6	5.2	5.4	5.5	4.9	5.9	5.9	5.1
Wyoming	9.2	8.9	8.4	8.2	8.8	7.9	7.8	8.7	8.2	8.3
Puerto Rico	6.6	5.1	5.8	5.7	4.9	6.1	5.7	4.9	5.4	4.8
Virgin Islands	5.9	7.5	7.4	8.2	5.7	4.7	6.5	6.8	7.1	5.8
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.