Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

News Release Information

17-1096-DAL
Friday, August 25, 2017

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (972) 850-4800

Houston Area Employment — July 2017

Total nonfarm employment in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land Metropolitan Statistical Area stood at 3,042,900 in July 2017, up 54,200, or 1.8 percent, from one year earlier, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. During the same period, the national job count increased 1.5 percent. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Stanley W. Suchman noted that the Houston area’s July increase was its 11th consecutive month of over-the-year job gains. (See chart 1 and table 1; the Technical Note at the end of this release contains metropolitan area definitions. All data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year analysis is used throughout.)

Industry employment

In the Houston metropolitan area, 5 of 11 industry supersectors each added nearly 10,000 jobs or more from July 2016 to July 2017. Professional and business services added the largest number of jobs, up 16,600 during the period. Local job gains in the sector were concentrated in the employment services industry which had a 20.8-percent rate of job growth over the year. Houston’s professional and business services employment rose 3.5 percent since July 2016 compared to the national increase of 2.9 percent. (See table 1 and chart 2.)

Education and health services added 13,000 local jobs over the year, the second largest gain among Houston’s supersectors. Ambulatory health care services added the most jobs in this sector, up 7,900. The local supersector’s 3.4-percent rate of job growth compared to a national increase of 2.3 percent.

Manufacturing employment in Houston rose by 12,900 from July 2016 to July 2017, marking the fourth consecutive month of annual job growth, after 24 months of annual declines. Both the durable and non-durable manufacturing industries had employment increases over the year. The local area’s rate of manufacturing job growth, at 5.8 percent, compared to the national gain of 0.5 percent.

Houston’s leisure and hospitality supersector added 11,400 jobs over the year. The 3.6-percent local rate of job growth compared to the 2.1-percent increase for the nation. The local job gains were concentrated in the sector’s largest industry, food services and drinking places, which added 9,600 jobs during the period.

Government employment rose by 9,900 in the Houston area from July 2016 to July 2017. Local government educational services accounted for the bulk of the increase with a gain of 9,500 jobs. Government employment rose 2.6 percent locally over the year compared to a 0.5-percent national gain.

Two local sectors lost 4,600 jobs or more from July 2016 to July 2017. Construction had the largest job loss in the Houston area, falling by 8,300 from July a year ago. Job losses occurred in the three reporting industries: construction of buildings, heavy and civil engineering, and specialty trade contractors. Locally, employment in the construction supersector declined at a 3.8-percent pace compared to the 2.7-percent gain nationwide.

Trade, transportation, and utilities, Houston’s largest employer, lost 4,600 jobs from July 2016 to July 2017. Within the supersector, annual job losses occurred in all three industries: wholesale trade, retail trade, and transportation, warehousing, and utilities. Over the year, local employment in the trade, transportation, and utilities sector fell 0.8 percent compared to a 0.5-percent increase nationwide.

Employment in the 12 largest metropolitan areas

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land was 1 of the nation’s 12 largest metropolitan statistical areas in July 2017. All 12 areas had over-the-year job growth during the period, with the rates of job growth in 10 areas exceeding the national increase of 1.5 percent. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell had the fastest rate of job growth, up 3.2 percent, followed by Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (+3.1 percent) and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach (+3.0 percent). Chicago-Naperville-Elgin had the slowest rate of job growth, 0.7 percent. (See chart 3 and table 2.)

The New York-Newark-Jersey City area added the largest number of jobs over the year, 176,400, followed by Dallas, up 108,200. Chicago had the smallest employment gain over the year, adding 33,100 jobs. Annual jobs gains in the remaining nine metropolitan areas ranged from 85,300 in Atlanta to 42,100 in Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale.

Over the year, education and health services added the most jobs in seven areas: Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, Miami, New York, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria.

Metropolitan area employment data for August 2017 are scheduled to be released on Friday, September 15, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).


Technical Note

This release presents nonfarm payroll employment estimates from the Current Employment Statistics (CES) program. The CES survey is a Federal-State cooperative endeavor between State employment security agencies and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Definitions. Employment data refer to persons on establishment payrolls who receive pay for any part of the pay period that 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 2012 version of the North American Industry Classification System.

Method of estimation. The employment data are estimated using a "link relative" technique in which a ratio (link relative) of current-month employment to that of the previous month is computed from a sample of establishments reporting for both months. The estimates of employment for the current month are obtained by multiplying the estimates for the previous month by these ratios. Small-domain models are used as the official estimators for the approximately 39 percent of CES published series which have insufficient sample for direct sample-based estimates.

Annual revisions. Employment estimates are adjusted annually to a complete count of jobs, called benchmarks, derived principally from tax reports that are submitted by employers who are covered under state unemployment insurance (UI) laws. The benchmark information is used to adjust the monthly estimates between the new benchmark and the preceding one and also to establish the level of employment for the new benchmark month. Thus, the benchmarking process establishes the level of employment, and the sample is used to measure the month-to-month changes in the level for the subsequent months.

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 the totals shown in the same tables because of rounding.

Employment estimates. Measures of sampling error are available for state CES data at the total nonfarm and supersector level and for metropolitan area CES data. Information on recent benchmark revisions for states is available on the BLS Web site at www.bls.gov/sae/.

Area definitions. The substate area data published in this release reflect the delineations issued by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, dated July 15, 2015. A detailed list of the geographic definitions is available at www.bls.gov/lau/lausmsa.htm.

The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugarland Metropolitan Statistical Area includes Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller Counties in Texas.

Additional information
More complete information on the technical procedures used to develop these estimates and additional data appear in Employment and Earnings, which is available online at www.bls.gov/opub/ee/home.htm. Industry employment data for states and metropolitan areas from the Current Employment Statistics program are also available in the above mentioned news releases and from the Internet at www.bls.gov/sae/.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

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.
2016
May
2017
Jun.
2017
Jul.
2017(p)
Jul. 2016 to
Jul. 2017(p)
Net changePercent change

United States

 

Total nonfarm

144,203146,784147,407146,3682,1651.5

Mining and logging

672703716723517.6

Construction

6,9716,9387,1037,1571862.7

Manufacturing

12,43912,37512,49312,502630.5

Trade, transportation, and utilities

27,24927,26127,41827,3781290.5

Information

2,7922,7202,7382,745-47-1.7

Financial activities

8,3808,4148,5038,5281481.8

Professional and business services

20,27120,67520,84120,8575862.9

Education and health services

22,29923,12322,89222,8065072.3

Leisure and hospitality

16,37916,15116,60916,7293502.1

Other services

5,7515,7735,8325,831801.4

Government

21,00022,65122,26221,1121120.5

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area

 

Total nonfarm

2,988.73,048.23,061.23,042.954.21.8

Mining and logging

86.786.986.387.30.60.7

Construction

218.4216.2215.1210.1-8.3-3.8

Manufacturing

221.8230.6234.1234.712.95.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities

608.1601.3603.2603.5-4.6-0.8

Information

33.132.032.232.4-0.7-2.1

Financial activities

156.2156.2156.2157.91.71.1

Professional and business services

470.4478.0486.1487.016.63.5

Education and health services

378.9391.3390.5391.913.03.4

Leisure and hospitality

317.5326.0330.7328.911.43.6

Other services

110.4110.8113.2112.11.71.5

Government

387.2418.9413.6397.19.92.6

(p) preliminary
 

Table 2. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry supersector, 12 largest metropolitan areas, not seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands)
Area and Industry
 
Jul.
2016
May
2017
Jun.
2017
Jul.
2017(p)
Jul. 2016 to
Jul. 2017(p)
Net changePercent change

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

 

Total nonfarm

2,657.52,745.72,759.52,742.885.33.2

Mining and logging

1.71.81.81.80.15.9

Construction

117.8122.4122.5121.94.13.5

Manufacturing

162.3162.4163.2162.2-0.1-0.1

Trade, transportation, and utilities

590.1597.7597.6596.76.61.1

Information

96.199.899.399.73.63.7

Financial activities

167.3173.0174.8173.66.33.8

Professional and business services

487.9513.3523.4521.633.76.9

Education and health services

329.6343.9340.9340.210.63.2

Leisure and hospitality

291.0299.4306.1306.315.35.3

Other services

99.798.6101.4102.32.62.6

Government

314.0333.4328.5316.52.50.8

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH

 

Total nonfarm

2,722.22,756.52,789.72,779.257.02.1

Mining, logging, and construction

114.6111.5114.0116.51.91.7

Manufacturing

188.7185.1188.0188.4-0.3-0.2

Trade, transportation, and utilities

424.4423.2431.2428.03.60.8

Information

79.278.379.679.60.40.5

Financial activities

190.4191.3193.5195.24.82.5

Professional and business services

478.7480.8486.4489.410.72.2

Education and health services

564.3586.9587.6587.222.94.1

Leisure and hospitality

282.3273.4283.5289.77.42.6

Other services

105.6103.9107.8109.43.83.6

Government

294.0322.1318.1295.81.80.6

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

 

Total nonfarm

4,686.14,701.44,745.64,719.233.10.7

Mining and logging

1.61.61.61.60.00.0

Construction

182.1175.1180.6182.20.10.1

Manufacturing

416.5413.3418.2417.10.60.1

Trade, transportation, and utilities

945.4939.1947.8946.51.10.1

Information

80.783.584.684.53.84.7

Financial activities

302.2308.4311.5311.69.43.1

Professional and business services

829.5823.7836.4838.38.81.1

Education and health services

705.2728.2720.1709.84.60.7

Leisure and hospitality

489.6478.0494.3493.03.40.7

Other services

195.9195.4198.0198.52.61.3

Government

537.4555.1552.5536.1-1.3-0.2

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

 

Total nonfarm

3,503.03,612.13,624.03,611.2108.23.1

Mining, logging, and construction

206.7205.4207.6209.22.51.2

Manufacturing

266.2266.3268.8270.64.41.7

Trade, transportation, and utilities

749.0762.2764.8765.116.12.1

Information

83.281.181.782.0-1.2-1.4

Financial activities

283.7292.0293.6295.011.34.0

Professional and business services

582.3604.8609.1611.829.55.1

Education and health services

429.2443.9440.3438.99.72.3

Leisure and hospitality

372.0390.2397.1396.024.06.5

Other services

124.2126.7128.2128.13.93.1

Government

406.5439.5432.8414.58.02.0

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX

 

Total nonfarm

2,988.73,048.23,061.23,042.954.21.8

Mining and logging

86.786.986.387.30.60.7

Construction

218.4216.2215.1210.1-8.3-3.8

Manufacturing

221.8230.6234.1234.712.95.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities

608.1601.3603.2603.5-4.6-0.8

Information

33.132.032.232.4-0.7-2.1

Financial activities

156.2156.2156.2157.91.71.1

Professional and business services

470.4478.0486.1487.016.63.5

Education and health services

378.9391.3390.5391.913.03.4

Leisure and hospitality

317.5326.0330.7328.911.43.6

Other services

110.4110.8113.2112.11.71.5

Government

387.2418.9413.6397.19.92.6

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

 

Total nonfarm

5,919.86,042.36,040.25,993.073.21.2

Mining and logging

4.13.94.04.0-0.1-2.4

Construction

233.2239.6243.8250.617.47.5

Manufacturing

517.1509.2510.9510.3-6.8-1.3

Trade, transportation, and utilities

1,088.01,077.91,079.41,082.9-5.1-0.5

Information

250.2257.5256.0253.12.91.2

Financial activities

340.0337.8337.9339.4-0.6-0.2

Professional and business services

906.7909.0914.3909.02.30.3

Education and health services

950.51,001.0983.3975.424.92.6

Leisure and hospitality

730.1736.5742.8747.016.92.3

Other services

204.0211.0210.0210.56.53.2

Government

695.9758.9757.8710.814.92.1

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

 

Total nonfarm

2,543.62,656.32,625.92,620.476.83.0

Mining and logging

0.70.70.70.70.00.0

Construction

123.3128.4128.3130.06.75.4

Manufacturing

87.288.187.087.0-0.2-0.2

Trade, transportation, and utilities

587.9598.8600.2598.410.51.8

Information

49.449.149.049.0-0.4-0.8

Financial activities

176.4174.9175.6176.3-0.1-0.1

Professional and business services

422.8437.7436.5432.19.32.2

Education and health services

374.9397.1397.5396.721.85.8

Leisure and hospitality

312.4336.4330.7329.116.75.3

Other services

124.2128.9130.0131.27.05.6

Government

284.4316.2290.4289.95.51.9

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

 

Total nonfarm

9,560.19,678.79,775.69,736.5176.41.8

Mining, logging, and construction

398.4393.2399.2403.45.01.3

Manufacturing

368.2363.9366.7365.2-3.0-0.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities

1,713.71,719.71,735.11,719.35.60.3

Information

293.6284.9286.1284.4-9.2-3.1

Financial activities

783.4774.1787.2793.610.21.3

Professional and business services

1,536.71,543.01,571.41,575.839.12.5

Education and health services

1,817.21,932.41,910.71,893.876.64.2

Leisure and hospitality

946.6928.5976.1984.738.14.0

Other services

419.7423.0430.7429.29.52.3

Government

1,282.61,316.01,312.41,287.14.50.4

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

 

Total nonfarm

2,857.92,926.32,941.62,912.554.61.9

Mining, logging, and construction

117.5118.4120.8120.93.42.9

Manufacturing

180.1176.8178.4178.6-1.5-0.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities

520.0524.1528.3525.55.51.1

Information

47.246.247.147.1-0.1-0.2

Financial activities

214.1214.4216.4217.13.01.4

Professional and business services

464.3473.0479.9478.213.93.0

Education and health services

609.1639.6627.7628.119.03.1

Leisure and hospitality

270.9271.2283.1284.313.44.9

Other services

120.8119.8122.0120.2-0.6-0.5

Government

313.9342.8337.9312.5-1.4-0.4

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ

 

Total nonfarm

1,926.82,009.91,982.71,968.942.12.2

Mining and logging

3.33.23.23.2-0.1-3.0

Construction

107.3109.0109.0111.13.83.5

Manufacturing

120.1121.6123.3123.53.42.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities

383.5386.9387.0388.14.61.2

Information

36.636.435.334.8-1.8-4.9

Financial activities

175.2181.7181.2180.65.43.1

Professional and business services

337.3340.2340.9340.43.10.9

Education and health services

286.1300.1297.2294.58.42.9

Leisure and hospitality

207.7230.3226.3222.514.87.1

Other services

63.961.861.361.4-2.5-3.9

Government

205.8238.7218.0208.83.01.5

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA

 

Total nonfarm

2,346.12,380.62,392.72,388.542.41.8

Mining and logging

1.01.01.01.00.00.0

Construction

115.9118.6121.0124.88.97.7

Manufacturing

133.7131.4132.0133.0-0.7-0.5

Trade, transportation, and utilities

376.7375.5376.8378.72.00.5

Information

101.399.9102.3103.52.22.2

Financial activities

143.0145.4147.1148.15.13.6

Professional and business services

476.0470.8473.9472.9-3.1-0.7

Education and health services

334.9349.6347.3345.010.13.0

Leisure and hospitality

271.2273.3279.3280.49.23.4

Other services

86.587.488.589.22.73.1

Government

305.9327.7323.5311.96.02.0

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

 

Total nonfarm

3,238.43,285.03,312.63,321.583.12.6

Mining, logging, and construction

159.1158.5159.8163.84.73.0

Manufacturing

54.253.654.354.30.10.2

Trade, transportation, and utilities

406.2409.3414.5412.96.71.6

Information

74.970.871.671.6-3.3-4.4

Financial activities

159.3157.2158.6159.1-0.2-0.1

Professional and business services

745.9753.4758.2761.916.02.1

Education and health services

424.8443.2443.4447.722.95.4

Leisure and hospitality

333.6337.6347.9350.216.65.0

Other services

197.5194.5198.1199.62.11.1

Government

682.9706.9706.2700.417.52.6

(p) preliminary
 

 

Last Modified Date: Friday, August 25, 2017