Total nonfarm employment in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area stood at 3,810,900 in August 2019, up 115,800 over the year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. From August 2018 to August 2019, local nonfarm employment rose 3.1 percent compared to the national rate of 1.4 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 the annual rate of job growth and second in 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 72 percent of the area’s workforce, added 100,300 jobs from August a year ago, an increase of 3.8 percent. The Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Division, which accounted for the remaining 28 percent of the area’s workforce, added 15,500 jobs during the 12-month period, a gain of 1.5 percent.

Industry employment

Professional and business services added 28,100 jobs in the area from August 2018 to August 2019, the largest gain of any local supersector. The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area’s 4.5-percent annual rate of job growth in this supersector was more than double the U.S. increase of 2.1 percent. (See chart 2.) The Dallas-Plano-Irving division was responsible for the local area’s job gains in this sector, up 33,900, while the Fort Worth-Arlington division lost 5,800 jobs over the year.

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington added 15,300 jobs in leisure and hospitality from August 2018. The local 3.9-percent annual growth rate compared to the national increase of 1.8 percent. Employment growth occurred primarily in the Dallas-Plano-Irving metropolitan division, adding 13,400 jobs, a 5.0-percent gain.

Trade, transportation, and utilities, the metropolitan area’s largest supersector, added 14,900 jobs from August 2018 to August 2019. The 1.9-percent rate of local job growth compared to the national gain of 0.3 percent. Locally, employment rose in all three sub-sectors: transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+7,200); wholesale trade (+6,200); and retail trade (+1,500). Both metropolitan divisions added jobs over the year.

Mining, logging, and construction added 14,700 jobs locally, a 6.6-percent gain over the year. The Dallas-Plano-Irving metropolitan area added jobs at a faster pace than the Fort Worth-Arlington area, as employment in this sector expanded 8.4 percent and 3.0 percent, respectively.

Financial activities added 14,000 jobs from August 2018 to August 2019. The local 4.6-percent rate of annual growth compared to the national rate of 1.3 percent. Locally, employment also rose at a 4.6-percent pace in both Fort Worth-Arlington and Dallas-Plano-Irving.

Employment was up 12,600 over the year in education and health services in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington. The area’s 2.8-percent rate of job growth compared to the U.S. rate of 2.5 percent. Both metropolitan divisions gained jobs over the year.

Three other local sectors had annual job gains ranging from 6,700 to 4,100 from August 2018 to August 2019: manufacturing (+6,700), government (+6,300), and other services (+4,100).

Employment in the 12 largest metropolitan areas

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington was 1 of the nation’s 12 largest metropolitan statistical areas in August 2019. All 12 areas had over-the-year job growth during the period, with the rates of job growth in 6 areas exceeding the national average of 1.4 percent. Dallas had the fastest rate of job growth, up 3.1 percent, followed by Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land and Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale (+2.7 percent each). Chicago-Naperville-Elgin and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria had the slowest annual rates of job growth (+1.0 percent each), followed by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (+1.2 percent). (See chart 3 and table 2.)

New York-Newark-Jersey City added the largest number of jobs over the year, 134,200, followed by Dallas with 115,800 jobs. Washington had the smallest employment gain over the year, adding 33,600 jobs, followed by Boston-Cambridge-Nashua with 39,600 jobs. Annual gains in the remaining eight metropolitan areas ranged from 81,900 in Houston to 41,500 in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington.

Over the year, education and health services added the most jobs in seven areas: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, New York, Philadelphia, and Phoenix. Professional business services added the most jobs in three areas: Dallas, Houston, and San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward. Leisure and hospitality was the leading job producer in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell and Washington.

The information sector recorded the largest employment loss in five areas since August 2018: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Miami, and Phoenix. The trade, transportation, and utilities sector lost the most jobs in Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington.

Metropolitan area employment data for September 2019 are scheduled to be released on Friday, October 18, 2019, 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 2017 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 nonfarm employment series are available for metropolitan areas and metropolitan divisions at www.bls.gov/web/laus/790stderr.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 at the supersector level and for the private service-providing, goods-producing, total private and total nonfarm levels are available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/web/laus/790stderr.htm. Information on recent benchmark revisions is available online at www.bls.gov/web/laus/benchmark.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 April 10, 2018. 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	Aug. 2018	Jun. 2019	Jul. 2019	Aug. 2019(p)	Aug. 2018 to Aug. 2019(p)
					Net change	Percent change
United States
Total nonfarm	149,453	152,243	151,169	151,517	2,064	1.4
Mining and logging	757	762	763	762	5	0.7
Construction	7,587	7,699	7,750	7,764	177	2.3
Manufacturing	12,801	12,926	12,922	12,934	133	1.0
Trade, transportation, and utilities	27,661	27,831	27,801	27,748	87	0.3
Information	2,851	2,837	2,848	2,856	5	0.2
Financial activities	8,646	8,712	8,760	8,760	114	1.3
Professional and business services	21,216	21,584	21,604	21,668	452	2.1
Education and health services	23,444	24,032	23,944	24,021	577	2.5
Leisure and hospitality	17,096	17,403	17,478	17,398	302	1.8
Other services	5,890	6,014	6,020	5,983	93	1.6
Government	21,504	22,443	21,279	21,623	119	0.6
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area
Total nonfarm	3,695.1	3,810.1	3,804.5	3,810.9	115.8	3.1
Mining, logging, and construction	223.9	234.2	236.8	238.6	14.7	6.6
Manufacturing	280.2	286.7	288.2	286.9	6.7	2.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	785.5	799.2	800.4	800.4	14.9	1.9
Information	83.1	81.4	81.5	82.2	-0.9	-1.1
Financial activities	303.7	312.3	317.6	317.7	14.0	4.6
Professional and business services	627.4	647.2	653.6	655.5	28.1	4.5
Education and health services	453.0	461.4	462.8	465.6	12.6	2.8
Leisure and hospitality	392.6	411.8	408.3	407.9	15.3	3.9
Other services	125.8	132.5	130.8	129.9	4.1	3.3
Government	419.9	443.4	424.5	426.2	6.3	1.5
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division
Total nonfarm	2,633.9	2,726.0	2,724.5	2,734.2	100.3	3.8
Mining, logging, and construction	147.3	155.4	157.7	159.7	12.4	8.4
Manufacturing	181.4	184.4	185.3	184.3	2.9	1.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	524.2	530.9	530.9	532.2	8.0	1.5
Information	71.9	70.4	70.5	71.3	-0.6	-0.8
Financial activities	242.3	248.4	252.8	253.5	11.2	4.6
Professional and business services	508.5	531.9	537.9	542.4	33.9	6.7
Education and health services	315.5	321.4	322.9	324.9	9.4	3.0
Leisure and hospitality	268.0	285.3	282.7	281.4	13.4	5.0
Other services	85.8	92.4	91.1	90.2	4.4	5.1
Government	289.0	305.5	292.7	294.3	5.3	1.8
Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Division
Total nonfarm	1,061.2	1,084.1	1,080.0	1,076.7	15.5	1.5
Mining, logging, and construction	76.6	78.8	79.1	78.9	2.3	3.0
Manufacturing	98.8	102.3	102.9	102.6	3.8	3.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	261.3	268.3	269.5	268.2	6.9	2.6
Information	11.2	11.0	11.0	10.9	-0.3	-2.7
Financial activities	61.4	63.9	64.8	64.2	2.8	4.6
Professional and business services	118.9	115.3	115.7	113.1	-5.8	-4.9
Education and health services	137.5	140.0	139.9	140.7	3.2	2.3
Leisure and hospitality	124.6	126.5	125.6	126.5	1.9	1.5
Other services	40.0	40.1	39.7	39.7	-0.3	-0.8
Government	130.9	137.9	131.8	131.9	1.0	0.8
(p) preliminary

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

Area and Industry	Aug. 2018	Jun. 2019	Jul. 2019	Aug. 2019(p)	Aug. 2018 to Aug. 2019(p)
					Net change	Percent change
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Total nonfarm	2,805.6	2,841.7	2,835.8	2,848.1	42.5	1.5
Mining and logging	1.6	1.6	1.6	1.6	0.0	0.0
Construction	127.6	134.6	134.2	133.7	6.1	4.8
Manufacturing	172.1	174.0	175.2	175.4	3.3	1.9
Trade, transportation, and utilities	603.1	606.6	606.1	604.2	1.1	0.2
Information	99.2	99.1	99.3	98.8	-0.4	-0.4
Financial activities	175.3	174.6	176.2	176.8	1.5	0.9
Professional and business services	528.4	539.2	538.8	538.0	9.6	1.8
Education and health services	357.6	359.7	360.4	365.9	8.3	2.3
Leisure and hospitality	304.9	318.5	318.5	319.4	14.5	4.8
Other services	101.8	98.6	99.3	98.5	-3.3	-3.2
Government	334.0	335.2	326.2	335.8	1.8	0.5
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
Total nonfarm	2,770.9	2,837.1	2,819.3	2,810.5	39.6	1.4
Mining, logging, and construction	122.1	122.3	124.6	123.3	1.2	1.0
Manufacturing	189.4	189.5	189.0	189.0	-0.4	-0.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	423.5	426.0	423.2	421.1	-2.4	-0.6
Information	81.9	83.4	83.7	84.9	3.0	3.7
Financial activities	186.9	186.7	187.7	188.1	1.2	0.6
Professional and business services	510.2	513.7	516.5	519.1	8.9	1.7
Education and health services	571.7	591.2	592.6	589.2	17.5	3.1
Leisure and hospitality	290.2	299.4	298.9	296.7	6.5	2.2
Other services	107.7	107.9	109.7	109.3	1.6	1.5
Government	287.3	317.0	293.4	289.8	2.5	0.9
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
Total nonfarm	4,782.9	4,873.1	4,848.5	4,830.4	47.5	1.0
Mining and logging	1.7	1.7	1.6	1.6	-0.1	-5.9
Construction	189.6	189.7	192.3	190.7	1.1	0.6
Manufacturing	424.0	430.2	429.6	428.1	4.1	1.0
Trade, transportation, and utilities	950.1	962.4	959.3	959.4	9.3	1.0
Information	78.8	74.5	74.2	74.0	-4.8	-6.1
Financial activities	315.7	317.0	318.5	316.7	1.0	0.3
Professional and business services	854.5	859.7	861.6	859.7	5.2	0.6
Education and health services	719.9	746.6	739.0	740.6	20.7	2.9
Leisure and hospitality	512.7	531.4	532.2	522.0	9.3	1.8
Other services	200.1	201.2	199.6	200.8	0.7	0.3
Government	535.8	558.7	540.6	536.8	1.0	0.2
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
Total nonfarm	3,695.1	3,810.1	3,804.5	3,810.9	115.8	3.1
Mining, logging, and construction	223.9	234.2	236.8	238.6	14.7	6.6
Manufacturing	280.2	286.7	288.2	286.9	6.7	2.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	785.5	799.2	800.4	800.4	14.9	1.9
Information	83.1	81.4	81.5	82.2	-0.9	-1.1
Financial activities	303.7	312.3	317.6	317.7	14.0	4.6
Professional and business services	627.4	647.2	653.6	655.5	28.1	4.5
Education and health services	453.0	461.4	462.8	465.6	12.6	2.8
Leisure and hospitality	392.6	411.8	408.3	407.9	15.3	3.9
Other services	125.8	132.5	130.8	129.9	4.1	3.3
Government	419.9	443.4	424.5	426.2	6.3	1.5
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
Total nonfarm	3,085.0	3,185.2	3,166.9	3,166.9	81.9	2.7
Mining and logging	79.2	87.6	86.9	85.8	6.6	8.3
Construction	223.5	229.6	228.1	227.1	3.6	1.6
Manufacturing	231.5	240.9	241.6	243.0	11.5	5.0
Trade, transportation, and utilities	624.2	630.4	630.4	630.7	6.5	1.0
Information	31.5	30.7	30.5	29.8	-1.7	-5.4
Financial activities	165.7	166.6	168.0	168.8	3.1	1.9
Professional and business services	499.5	516.4	520.6	522.3	22.8	4.6
Education and health services	396.4	402.0	400.3	406.0	9.6	2.4
Leisure and hospitality	332.9	341.1	341.4	337.6	4.7	1.4
Other services	111.9	122.2	120.3	121.6	9.7	8.7
Government	388.7	417.7	398.8	394.2	5.5	1.4
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Total nonfarm	6,131.3	6,246.4	6,174.7	6,202.9	71.6	1.2
Mining and logging	2.4	2.4	2.5	2.5	0.1	4.2
Construction	257.7	266.8	269.6	268.5	10.8	4.2
Manufacturing	504.5	505.2	505.4	505.4	0.9	0.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	1,111.0	1,104.7	1,108.4	1,108.5	-2.5	-0.2
Information	240.3	236.9	236.0	241.3	1.0	0.4
Financial activities	343.4	338.1	341.6	343.9	0.5	0.1
Professional and business services	943.9	947.8	951.8	960.8	16.9	1.8
Education and health services	1,039.7	1,066.7	1,057.3	1,068.8	29.1	2.8
Leisure and hospitality	766.7	788.4	784.6	783.6	16.9	2.2
Other services	211.1	215.5	213.7	213.5	2.4	1.1
Government	710.6	773.9	703.8	706.1	-4.5	-0.6
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
Total nonfarm	2,672.7	2,703.8	2,699.8	2,725.8	53.1	2.0
Mining and logging	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.0	0.0
Construction	138.9	143.5	143.5	141.7	2.8	2.0
Manufacturing	89.8	91.5	91.8	91.8	2.0	2.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	603.6	607.8	606.4	606.9	3.3	0.5
Information	51.9	50.6	50.4	50.1	-1.8	-3.5
Financial activities	184.4	186.2	186.5	187.7	3.3	1.8
Professional and business services	446.8	459.1	461.3	461.3	14.5	3.2
Education and health services	397.9	413.9	413.6	417.0	19.1	4.8
Leisure and hospitality	323.1	330.4	328.2	327.6	4.5	1.4
Other services	122.8	126.3	126.4	126.7	3.9	3.2
Government	312.8	293.8	291.0	314.3	1.5	0.5
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
Total nonfarm	9,803.8	10,058.8	9,990.2	9,938.0	134.2	1.4
Mining, logging, and construction	420.9	433.5	435.7	436.5	15.6	3.7
Manufacturing	362.2	366.9	364.6	363.2	1.0	0.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities	1,717.5	1,746.3	1,727.8	1,722.0	4.5	0.3
Information	296.0	296.5	297.5	297.0	1.0	0.3
Financial activities	794.4	780.9	785.7	783.6	-10.8	-1.4
Professional and business services	1,586.9	1,607.5	1,595.0	1,590.7	3.8	0.2
Education and health services	1,926.2	2,036.8	2,001.6	1,995.9	69.7	3.6
Leisure and hospitality	985.2	1,009.4	1,025.0	1,019.9	34.7	3.5
Other services	425.0	437.2	436.6	435.4	10.4	2.4
Government	1,289.5	1,343.8	1,320.7	1,293.8	4.3	0.3
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Total nonfarm	2,919.0	2,988.0	2,958.0	2,960.5	41.5	1.4
Mining, logging, and construction	121.8	128.0	128.7	128.4	6.6	5.4
Manufacturing	182.7	183.5	183.3	183.0	0.3	0.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	519.4	520.9	518.8	515.9	-3.5	-0.7
Information	48.5	49.0	49.1	49.4	0.9	1.9
Financial activities	217.6	218.6	218.8	219.3	1.7	0.8
Professional and business services	467.0	478.7	475.7	478.6	11.6	2.5
Education and health services	640.3	653.9	650.4	652.1	11.8	1.8
Leisure and hospitality	285.0	293.3	293.3	291.1	6.1	2.1
Other services	122.2	125.2	124.1	123.5	1.3	1.1
Government	314.5	336.9	315.8	319.2	4.7	1.5
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
Total nonfarm	2,102.8	2,126.5	2,117.7	2,160.4	57.6	2.7
Mining and logging	3.7	3.7	3.7	3.7	0.0	0.0
Construction	126.0	137.4	137.0	137.0	11.0	8.7
Manufacturing	128.4	134.8	136.0	136.5	8.1	6.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities	402.6	408.8	409.0	411.3	8.7	2.2
Information	38.6	38.2	37.6	37.8	-0.8	-2.1
Financial activities	193.3	193.7	193.4	196.6	3.3	1.7
Professional and business services	355.2	361.4	360.0	359.7	4.5	1.3
Education and health services	324.5	333.7	335.2	338.6	14.1	4.3
Leisure and hospitality	224.7	228.7	227.2	228.0	3.3	1.5
Other services	69.2	70.7	70.1	71.1	1.9	2.7
Government	236.6	215.4	208.5	240.1	3.5	1.5
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
Total nonfarm	2,449.7	2,512.3	2,506.2	2,508.8	59.1	2.4
Mining and logging	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.0	0.0
Construction	127.4	137.6	137.3	137.5	10.1	7.9
Manufacturing	146.6	143.7	144.1	144.0	-2.6	-1.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	379.6	377.4	379.7	379.5	-0.1	0.0
Information	119.2	123.0	123.8	124.4	5.2	4.4
Financial activities	142.9	145.8	147.7	147.2	4.3	3.0
Professional and business services	500.7	516.7	522.0	522.2	21.5	4.3
Education and health services	352.1	365.6	363.3	364.4	12.3	3.5
Leisure and hospitality	279.4	286.0	286.4	285.7	6.3	2.3
Other services	89.1	87.5	87.4	86.7	-2.4	-2.7
Government	312.4	328.7	314.2	316.9	4.5	1.4
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Total nonfarm	3,301.1	3,359.7	3,361.1	3,334.7	33.6	1.0
Mining, logging, and construction	164.6	162.8	164.9	167.3	2.7	1.6
Manufacturing	56.0	56.2	56.4	55.4	-0.6	-1.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities	405.9	405.8	404.0	401.5	-4.4	-1.1
Information	74.5	73.6	73.9	73.2	-1.3	-1.7
Financial activities	160.2	158.3	157.1	158.0	-2.2	-1.4
Professional and business services	770.6	778.6	784.5	780.0	9.4	1.2
Education and health services	435.9	443.3	443.8	444.8	8.9	2.0
Leisure and hospitality	346.0	362.9	361.1	361.6	15.6	4.5
Other services	210.1	212.0	214.0	213.1	3.0	1.4
Government	677.3	706.2	701.4	679.8	2.5	0.4
(p) preliminary