Total nonfarm employment in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area stood at 3,707,500 in May 2018, up 122,000 over the year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. From May 2017 to May 2018, local nonfarm employment rose 3.4 percent, compared to the national rate of 1.6 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.) Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Stanley W. Suchman noted that among the 12 largest metropolitan areas in the country, Dallas ranked first in both the rate of job growth and the number of jobs added over the year. (See chart 3 and table 2; the Technical Note at the end of this release contains the metropolitan area definitions. All data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year analysis is used throughout.)

The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area consists of two metropolitan divisions – separately identifiable employment centers within the larger metropolitan area. The Dallas-Plano-Irving Metropolitan Division, which accounted for 71 percent of the area’s workforce, added 90,700 jobs from May a year ago, an increase of 3.5 percent. The Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Division, which accounted for the remaining 29 percent of the area’s workforce, added 31,300 jobs during the 12-month period, a gain of 3.0 percent.

Industry employment

Professional and business services added 25,500 jobs in the area from May 2017 to May 2018, the largest gain of any local supersector. The Dallas area’s 4.3-percent annual rate of job growth compared to the U.S. increase of 2.4 percent. (See chart 2.) The Fort Worth-Arlington division added jobs at a faster pace than the Dallas-Plano-Irving division, 6.2 percent and 3.9 percent, respectively.

Trade, transportation, and utilities, the metropolitan area’s largest supersector, had the second-largest annual gain, adding 22,400 jobs from May 2017. The 3.0-percent rate of local job growth was more than double the national gain of 1.3 percent. Locally, employment rose in all three sub-sectors: transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+9,000); retail trade (+9,700); and wholesale trade (+3,700). The increase in local retail trade employment occurred despite an annual loss of 1,400 jobs in department stores.

Employment in the area’s leisure and hospitality supersector rose by 17,400 since May 2017. More than half of the job gain was in the sector’s largest industry, food services and drinking places (+10,100). The supersector’s rate of job growth in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, 4.6 percent, was nearly three times the nationwide advance of 1.6 percent.

Three other local sectors had annual job gains between 10,000 and 15,000 from May 2017 to May 2018: mining, logging, and construction (+14,300), education and health services (+12,900), and government (+10,100). Within the mining, logging, and construction sector, specialty trade contractors added 9,900 jobs, an 8.1-percent rate of job growth; nearly all of this employment gain occurred in the Dallas-Plano-Irving division. Education and health services added 12,900 jobs in the Dallas area from May 2017; the area’s 2.9-percent rate of job growth compared to the U.S. rate of 1.9 percent. Government employment rose by 10,100 in the local area from May a year ago. Employment in the area’s government supersector increased 2.3 percent over the year, while nationally, employment was essentially unchanged. In Dallas, gains occurred in all government jurisdictions (federal, state, and local).

Three other local sectors had annual job gains of at least 5,000: manufacturing (+7,600), other services (+5,500), and financial activities (+5,400). Local rates of job growth in each supersector were faster-paced than those for the nation.

Employment in the 12 largest metropolitan areas

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington was 1 of the nation’s 12 largest metropolitan statistical areas in May 2018. All 12 areas had over-the-year job growth during the period, with the rates of job growth in 5 areas exceeding the national increase of 1.6 percent. Dallas had the fastest rate of job growth, up 3.4 percent, followed by Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale (3.1 percent). Chicago-Naperville-Elgin had the slowest rate of job growth, 0.8 percent, followed by Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach (0.9 percent). (See chart 3 and table 2.)

Dallas added the largest number of jobs over the year, 122,000, followed by New York-Newark-Jersey City (+116,200). Miami had the smallest employment gain over the year, adding 23,400 jobs. Annual gains in the remaining nine metropolitan areas ranged from 81,200 in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim to 38,600 in Chicago.

Over the year, professional and business services added the most jobs in four areas: Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, Dallas, Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria. Education and health services gained the most jobs in three areas: New York, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, and Phoenix.

The information supersector lost the most jobs over the year in five areas. Dallas and Phoenix were the only metropolitan areas to have no annual job losses in any supersector.

Metropolitan area employment data for June 2018 are scheduled to be released on Friday, July 20, 2018, 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. 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 sample of establishments is very small or highly variable. In these cases, a model-based approach is used in estimation. These models use the direct sample estimates (described above), combined with forecasts of historical (benchmarked) data to decrease volatility in estimation. Two different models (Fay-Herriot Model and Small Domain Model) are used depending on the industry level being estimated. For more detailed information about each model, refer to the BLS Handbook of Methods.

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 for the total private employment series are available for metropolitan areas and metropolitan divisions at www.bls.gov/sae/additional-resources/reliability-of-state-and-area-estimates.htm. Measures of sampling error for more detailed series at the area and division level are available upon request. Measures of sampling error for states down to the supersector level are available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/sae/additional-resources/reliability-of-state-and-area-estimates.htm. Measures of nonsampling error are not available for the areas contained in this release. Information on recent benchmark revisions is available online at www.bls.gov/sae/benchmark2017.pdf

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 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area includes Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Somervell, Tarrant, and Wise Counties in Texas.

• The Dallas-Plano-Irving Metropolitan Division includes Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Hunt, Kaufman, and Rockwall Counties in Texas.
• The Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Division includes Hood, Johnson, Parker, Somervell, Tarrant, and Wise 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 CES program are also available in the above mentioned news releases and from the BLS website 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 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area and its components, not seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands)

Area and Industry	May 2017	Mar. 2018	Apr. 2018	May 2018(p)	May 2017 to May 2018(p)
					Net change	Percent change
United States
Total nonfarm	146,937	147,384	148,366	149,309	2,372	1.6
Mining and logging	672	712	721	732	60	8.9
Construction	6,990	6,889	7,083	7,281	291	4.2
Manufacturing	12,389	12,576	12,599	12,651	262	2.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities	27,340	27,422	27,493	27,694	354	1.3
Information	2,789	2,755	2,763	2,771	-18	-0.6
Financial activities	8,419	8,503	8,509	8,545	126	1.5
Professional and business services	20,417	20,576	20,815	20,908	491	2.4
Education and health services	23,195	23,634	23,695	23,632	437	1.9
Leisure and hospitality	16,285	15,822	16,137	16,547	262	1.6
Other services	5,791	5,799	5,844	5,889	98	1.7
Government	22,650	22,696	22,707	22,659	9	0.0
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area
Total nonfarm	3,585.5	3,660.1	3,687.3	3,707.5	122.0	3.4
Mining, logging, and construction	212.9	217.2	223.9	227.2	14.3	6.7
Manufacturing	269.0	275.7	276.9	276.6	7.6	2.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	758.0	771.4	774.7	780.4	22.4	3.0
Information	83.2	83.8	83.8	84.1	0.9	1.1
Financial activities	292.7	297.5	297.0	298.1	5.4	1.8
Professional and business services	588.1	605.0	611.9	613.6	25.5	4.3
Education and health services	442.7	452.1	453.3	455.6	12.9	2.9
Leisure and hospitality	378.1	382.9	390.5	395.5	17.4	4.6
Other services	122.1	126.6	127.4	127.6	5.5	4.5
Government	438.7	447.9	447.9	448.8	10.1	2.3
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division
Total nonfarm	2,557.9	2,617.5	2,635.8	2,648.6	90.7	3.5
Mining, logging, and construction	139.7	146.4	151.6	153.9	14.2	10.2
Manufacturing	175.7	180.5	181.2	180.4	4.7	2.7
Trade, transportation, and utilities	508.7	517.0	519.6	523.0	14.3	2.8
Information	71.7	72.8	72.7	73.0	1.3	1.8
Financial activities	233.8	236.1	235.6	236.7	2.9	1.2
Professional and business services	478.4	490.9	495.4	497.1	18.7	3.9
Education and health services	308.2	316.1	315.4	317.1	8.9	2.9
Leisure and hospitality	259.3	262.5	267.5	269.8	10.5	4.0
Other services	83.0	88.4	89.2	89.4	6.4	7.7
Government	299.4	306.8	307.6	308.2	8.8	2.9
Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Division
Total nonfarm	1,027.6	1,042.6	1,051.5	1,058.9	31.3	3.0
Mining, logging, and construction	73.2	70.8	72.3	73.3	0.1	0.1
Manufacturing	93.3	95.2	95.7	96.2	2.9	3.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities	249.3	254.4	255.1	257.4	8.1	3.2
Information	11.5	11.0	11.1	11.1	-0.4	-3.5
Financial activities	58.9	61.4	61.4	61.4	2.5	4.2
Professional and business services	109.7	114.1	116.5	116.5	6.8	6.2
Education and health services	134.5	136.0	137.9	138.5	4.0	3.0
Leisure and hospitality	118.8	120.4	123.0	125.7	6.9	5.8
Other services	39.1	38.2	38.2	38.2	-0.9	-2.3
Government	139.3	141.1	140.3	140.6	1.3	0.9
(p) preliminary

Table 2. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry supersector, 12 largest metropolitan areas, not seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands)

Area and Industry	May 2017	Mar. 2018	Apr. 2018	May 2018(p)	May 2017 to May 2018(p)
					Net change	Percent change
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Total nonfarm	2,723.5	2,744.6	2,757.1	2,769.5	46.0	1.7
Mining and logging	1.6	1.6	1.6	1.6	0.0	0.0
Construction	120.5	124.1	126.3	129.7	9.2	7.6
Manufacturing	166.5	168.7	168.8	168.9	2.4	1.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	599.4	613.3	612.8	616.8	17.4	2.9
Information	99.9	90.9	91.2	91.2	-8.7	-8.7
Financial activities	170.1	169.1	169.7	169.4	-0.7	-0.4
Professional and business services	497.2	496.0	497.9	496.9	-0.3	-0.1
Education and health services	341.2	353.6	353.2	351.7	10.5	3.1
Leisure and hospitality	296.1	292.4	299.5	308.6	12.5	4.2
Other services	100.5	98.2	98.7	99.5	-1.0	-1.0
Government	330.5	336.7	337.4	335.2	4.7	1.4
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
Total nonfarm	2,744.5	2,719.1	2,763.9	2,789.6	45.1	1.6
Mining, logging, and construction	112.0	107.7	113.8	119.6	7.6	6.8
Manufacturing	185.8	187.9	188.1	188.4	2.6	1.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	422.9	414.6	419.7	424.0	1.1	0.3
Information	79.4	79.7	79.1	79.6	0.2	0.3
Financial activities	184.1	181.3	182.8	183.4	-0.7	-0.4
Professional and business services	481.3	485.0	497.0	500.9	19.6	4.1
Education and health services	583.3	588.8	592.8	589.8	6.5	1.1
Leisure and hospitality	275.7	258.4	269.5	282.5	6.8	2.5
Other services	102.6	100.8	105.5	105.4	2.8	2.7
Government	317.4	314.9	315.6	316.0	-1.4	-0.4
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
Total nonfarm	4,714.9	4,656.2	4,695.1	4,753.5	38.6	0.8
Mining and logging	1.6	1.5	1.6	1.6	0.0	0.0
Construction	176.8	165.4	173.8	183.4	6.6	3.7
Manufacturing	415.4	420.2	419.6	421.6	6.2	1.5
Trade, transportation, and utilities	943.7	941.7	944.9	952.7	9.0	1.0
Information	80.1	75.8	75.6	75.5	-4.6	-5.7
Financial activities	302.8	306.5	305.6	309.1	6.3	2.1
Professional and business services	824.7	799.2	813.7	822.2	-2.5	-0.3
Education and health services	729.0	733.7	736.5	738.9	9.9	1.4
Leisure and hospitality	492.3	460.7	474.3	490.2	-2.1	-0.4
Other services	196.1	192.9	193.5	195.3	-0.8	-0.4
Government	552.4	558.6	556.0	563.0	10.6	1.9
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
Total nonfarm	3,585.5	3,660.1	3,687.3	3,707.5	122.0	3.4
Mining, logging, and construction	212.9	217.2	223.9	227.2	14.3	6.7
Manufacturing	269.0	275.7	276.9	276.6	7.6	2.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	758.0	771.4	774.7	780.4	22.4	3.0
Information	83.2	83.8	83.8	84.1	0.9	1.1
Financial activities	292.7	297.5	297.0	298.1	5.4	1.8
Professional and business services	588.1	605.0	611.9	613.6	25.5	4.3
Education and health services	442.7	452.1	453.3	455.6	12.9	2.9
Leisure and hospitality	378.1	382.9	390.5	395.5	17.4	4.6
Other services	122.1	126.6	127.4	127.6	5.5	4.5
Government	438.7	447.9	447.9	448.8	10.1	2.3
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
Total nonfarm	3,029.0	3,074.9	3,098.8	3,108.2	79.2	2.6
Mining and logging	78.0	77.8	78.1	79.3	1.3	1.7
Construction	218.1	227.2	228.6	229.5	11.4	5.2
Manufacturing	218.7	222.7	227.6	227.2	8.5	3.9
Trade, transportation, and utilities	613.0	623.8	626.7	626.7	13.7	2.2
Information	32.5	31.5	31.2	31.6	-0.9	-2.8
Financial activities	158.0	161.7	161.8	162.3	4.3	2.7
Professional and business services	476.9	503.4	505.7	510.5	33.6	7.0
Education and health services	386.7	385.2	388.2	388.4	1.7	0.4
Leisure and hospitality	322.0	317.3	324.4	326.1	4.1	1.3
Other services	111.2	109.3	112.0	111.4	0.2	0.2
Government	413.9	415.0	414.5	415.2	1.3	0.3
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Total nonfarm	6,049.6	6,101.8	6,115.0	6,130.8	81.2	1.3
Mining and logging	3.0	2.9	2.9	2.9	-0.1	-3.3
Construction	238.4	242.8	247.8	244.6	6.2	2.6
Manufacturing	509.1	508.8	507.6	508.2	-0.9	-0.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	1,092.7	1,088.0	1,085.1	1,086.2	-6.5	-0.6
Information	237.5	245.6	245.5	245.4	7.9	3.3
Financial activities	340.1	338.9	340.9	339.1	-1.0	-0.3
Professional and business services	903.3	923.8	926.1	929.5	26.2	2.9
Education and health services	1,010.7	1,036.8	1,036.0	1,035.9	25.2	2.5
Leisure and hospitality	747.1	756.2	763.4	774.7	27.6	3.7
Other services	205.9	200.3	201.6	202.1	-3.8	-1.8
Government	761.8	757.7	758.1	762.2	0.4	0.1
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
Total nonfarm	2,645.8	2,671.0	2,666.6	2,669.2	23.4	0.9
Mining and logging	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.1	14.3
Construction	129.1	138.5	140.0	142.7	13.6	10.5
Manufacturing	89.5	94.3	96.3	97.8	8.3	9.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities	596.9	599.2	596.6	600.0	3.1	0.5
Information	51.8	50.6	50.4	50.6	-1.2	-2.3
Financial activities	179.1	179.5	179.2	180.6	1.5	0.8
Professional and business services	434.7	439.4	437.6	434.9	0.2	0.0
Education and health services	395.8	395.2	394.1	394.0	-1.8	-0.5
Leisure and hospitality	328.9	333.1	332.6	328.4	-0.5	-0.2
Other services	123.9	124.6	124.7	124.8	0.9	0.7
Government	315.4	315.8	314.3	314.6	-0.8	-0.3
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
Total nonfarm	9,710.1	9,667.9	9,723.5	9,826.3	116.2	1.2
Mining, logging, and construction	400.3	385.9	395.3	407.2	6.9	1.7
Manufacturing	365.4	362.5	361.9	363.1	-2.3	-0.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	1,735.9	1,737.6	1,740.4	1,758.1	22.2	1.3
Information	285.2	285.8	281.6	282.1	-3.1	-1.1
Financial activities	772.0	774.0	772.8	773.7	1.7	0.2
Professional and business services	1,543.7	1,537.2	1,546.8	1,566.0	22.3	1.4
Education and health services	1,938.5	1,980.3	1,987.3	1,989.8	51.3	2.6
Leisure and hospitality	934.5	874.9	900.2	946.3	11.8	1.3
Other services	424.8	419.2	423.5	427.9	3.1	0.7
Government	1,309.8	1,310.5	1,313.7	1,312.1	2.3	0.2
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Total nonfarm	2,925.2	2,917.3	2,948.2	2,964.9	39.7	1.4
Mining, logging, and construction	119.4	110.4	115.0	118.5	-0.9	-0.8
Manufacturing	180.3	179.9	180.3	182.2	1.9	1.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities	520.3	523.8	525.5	528.3	8.0	1.5
Information	46.4	44.9	44.8	44.7	-1.7	-3.7
Financial activities	213.7	214.4	215.2	217.0	3.3	1.5
Professional and business services	468.7	464.3	474.0	479.3	10.6	2.3
Education and health services	641.4	658.6	661.3	655.5	14.1	2.2
Leisure and hospitality	272.9	258.0	267.2	274.6	1.7	0.6
Other services	121.7	119.3	120.4	121.3	-0.4	-0.3
Government	340.4	343.7	344.5	343.5	3.1	0.9
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
Total nonfarm	2,025.6	2,090.8	2,094.1	2,087.4	61.8	3.1
Mining and logging	3.2	3.1	3.2	3.2	0.0	0.0
Construction	112.0	119.6	121.5	123.5	11.5	10.3
Manufacturing	121.7	127.9	127.9	129.3	7.6	6.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	390.0	400.2	397.5	397.6	7.6	1.9
Information	36.6	36.1	36.4	37.0	0.4	1.1
Financial activities	184.8	189.5	189.3	188.9	4.1	2.2
Professional and business services	342.6	349.7	350.8	347.7	5.1	1.5
Education and health services	305.3	319.1	319.9	318.1	12.8	4.2
Leisure and hospitality	225.5	233.4	234.9	233.6	8.1	3.6
Other services	66.3	65.5	65.8	67.1	0.8	1.2
Government	237.6	246.7	246.9	241.4	3.8	1.6
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
Total nonfarm	2,393.9	2,417.9	2,427.3	2,435.8	41.9	1.8
Mining and logging	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.1	25.0
Construction	116.5	119.1	120.8	122.1	5.6	4.8
Manufacturing	138.6	142.1	142.3	142.2	3.6	2.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	379.5	381.1	381.8	382.0	2.5	0.7
Information	103.3	108.6	108.5	108.4	5.1	4.9
Financial activities	142.0	142.3	142.9	143.0	1.0	0.7
Professional and business services	475.4	486.7	488.9	490.7	15.3	3.2
Education and health services	350.2	358.3	356.2	356.6	6.4	1.8
Leisure and hospitality	275.2	269.5	274.5	278.1	2.9	1.1
Other services	87.6	84.0	84.4	84.6	-3.0	-3.4
Government	325.2	325.7	326.5	327.6	2.4	0.7
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Total nonfarm	3,286.9	3,288.3	3,303.0	3,328.2	41.3	1.3
Mining, logging, and construction	160.3	160.4	161.3	162.4	2.1	1.3
Manufacturing	54.8	54.7	55.0	55.7	0.9	1.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	405.2	406.2	407.0	412.8	7.6	1.9
Information	74.0	74.8	74.7	74.9	0.9	1.2
Financial activities	157.4	157.9	159.1	159.3	1.9	1.2
Professional and business services	745.3	748.0	752.2	761.1	15.8	2.1
Education and health services	437.7	445.5	448.2	447.6	9.9	2.3
Leisure and hospitality	335.5	326.9	331.6	337.8	2.3	0.7
Other services	207.3	208.4	208.7	211.0	3.7	1.8
Government	709.4	705.5	705.2	705.6	-3.8	-0.5
(p) preliminary