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News Release Information

19-1498-DAL
Tuesday, August 27, 2019

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

Houston Area Employment — July 2019

Total nonfarm employment in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land Metropolitan Statistical Area stood at 3,169,300 in July 2019, up 93,600 or 3.0 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 among the 12 largest metropolitan areas in the country, Houston ranked second in the annual rate of job growth and third in the number of jobs added over the year. (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, professional and business services added the largest number of jobs from July 2018 to July 2019, up 24,500. Job gains were widespread within the sector, including the architectural, engineering, and related services industry, which added 7,700 jobs, an 11.1-percent increase over the year. Houston’s professional and business services supersector employment rose 4.9 percent since July 2018, compared to the national increase of 2.2 percent. (See table 1 and chart 2.)

Houston manufacturing added 11,000 jobs from July a year ago, the second-largest job gain among the supersectors. Local job growth was concentrated in durable goods manufacturing (+10,300). The 4.8-percent increase in Houston’s manufacturing employment compared to a gain of 1.2 percent nationally. July marked the 24th consecutive month of annual job growth in local manufacturing following 28 consecutive months of annual declines.

The leisure and hospitality supersector gained 9,900 jobs since July 2018. The local annual increase of 3.0 percent compared to the national increase of 2.0 percent.

Construction added 9,400 jobs in the Houston area from July 2018 to July 2019. The specialty trade contractors and heavy and civil engineering construction sectors each added 5,000 jobs or more over the year. The supersector’s gains were offset by an annual loss of 1,100 jobs in construction of buildings sector. Houston’s construction sector added jobs at a 4.3-percent rate over the year, compared to the U.S. gain of 2.7 percent.

Houston’s education and health services supersector added 9,100 jobs from July a year ago. The health care and social assistance subsector added 7,800 jobs and educational services added 1,300 jobs. The education and health services supersector had a 2.3-percent rate of job growth in Houston, compared to 2.6 percent nationwide.

Four local supersectors added between 8,300 and 5,100 jobs over the year. Other services added 8,300 jobs since July 2018. Area employment in the supersector rose 7.4 percent, compared to the 1.8-percent gain for the nation. The mining and logging supersector added 7,700 jobs in Houston over the year. Local mining and logging employment rose 9.8 percent compared to the national increase of 2.3 percent. Employment in Houston’s largest sector–trade, transportation, and utilities–rose by 7,100 jobs since July 2018. The local annual growth rate was 1.1 percent while the U.S. rate was 0.6 percent. The government sector added 5,100 jobs in Houston over the year. Local government educational services accounted for the largest share of the gain, at 3,100 jobs. Government employment in Houston rose 1.3 percent, compared to the national increase of 0.4 percent.

The only local supersector to record an employment loss between July 2018 and July 2019 was information (-1,400). This industry lost jobs both locally and nationally. In Houston, employment fell 4.4 percent over the year, while nationally it declined 0.5 percent.

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 2019. All 12 areas had over-the-year job growth during the period, with the rates of job growth in 7 areas equaling or exceeding the national increase of 1.5 percent. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (+3.5 percent), Houston (+3.0 percent), and Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale (+2.9 percent) had the fastest annual rates of job growth. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington (+1.2 percent), Boston-Cambridge-Nashua (+1.3 percent), and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria (+1.3 percent) had the slowest rates of job growth. (See chart 3 and table 2.)

New York-Newark-Jersey City added the largest number of jobs over the year, 145,600, followed by Dallas (+129,300) and Houston (+93,600). Philadelphia had the smallest employment gain over the year, 36,100, followed by Boston with 36,700 jobs, and Washington (+44,600). Annual job gains in the remaining six metropolitan areas ranged from 87,800 in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim to 58,000 in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell.

Over the year, education and health services added the most jobs in five areas: Boston, Los Angeles, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, New York, and Phoenix. Professional business services also added the most jobs in five areas: Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, and San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward. Leisure and hospitality added the most jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin and Washington.

The information supersector recorded the largest employment loss in four areas: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, and Phoenix. Trade, transportation, and utilities lost the most jobs in three areas: Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington. Miami was the only area to experience no annual employment losses in among the supersectors since July 2018.

Metropolitan area employment data for August 2019 are scheduled to be released on Friday, September 20, 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/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/publications/benchmark-article/annual-benchmark-article.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 Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land 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 IndustryJul.
2018
May
2019
Jun.
2019
Jul.
2019(p)
Jul. 2018 to
Jul. 2019(p)
Net changePercent change

United States

Total nonfarm

148,948151,610152,242151,1832,2351.5

Mining and logging

745754762762172.3

Construction

7,5557,5437,7007,7562012.7

Manufacturing

12,78312,81112,92512,9351521.2

Trade, transportation, and utilities

27,63627,68727,82927,7941580.6

Information

2,8502,8062,8392,837-13-0.5

Financial activities

8,6538,6368,7148,7611081.2

Professional and business services

21,13921,39921,57721,6054662.2

Education and health services

23,33324,21824,03823,9516182.6

Leisure and hospitality

17,16416,96117,39617,5043402.0

Other services

5,9175,9566,0166,0211041.8

Government

21,17322,83922,44621,257840.4

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

Total nonfarm

3,075.73,167.43,185.23,169.393.63.0

Mining and logging

78.686.687.686.37.79.8

Construction

219.4225.4229.6228.89.44.3

Manufacturing

230.4239.8240.9241.411.04.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities

622.3623.6630.4629.47.11.1

Information

31.830.730.730.4-1.4-4.4

Financial activities

165.3165.1166.6168.22.91.8

Professional and business services

496.4514.6516.4520.924.54.9

Education and health services

392.5403.9402.0401.69.12.3

Leisure and hospitality

333.3335.4341.1343.29.93.0

Other services

112.0119.1122.2120.38.37.4

Government

393.7423.2417.7398.85.11.3

(p) preliminary


Table 2. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry supersector, 12 largest metropolitan areas, not seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands)
Area and IndustryJul.
2018
May
2019
Jun.
2019
Jul.
2019(p)
Jul. 2018 to
Jul. 2019(p)
Net changePercent change

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

Total nonfarm

2,781.62,835.22,841.72,839.658.02.1

Mining and logging

1.61.51.61.60.00.0

Construction

127.0133.8134.6134.17.15.6

Manufacturing

171.8172.4174.0175.23.42.0

Trade, transportation, and utilities

603.1606.0606.6606.43.30.5

Information

97.496.499.199.11.71.7

Financial activities

175.4173.1174.6176.30.90.5

Professional and business services

522.3536.0539.2542.720.43.9

Education and health services

351.0362.4359.7360.19.12.6

Leisure and hospitality

307.2314.4318.5319.011.83.8

Other services

102.699.398.699.2-3.4-3.3

Government

322.2339.9335.2325.93.71.1

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH

Total nonfarm

2,782.12,802.72,837.12,818.836.71.3

Mining, logging, and construction

123.0120.3122.3124.21.21.0

Manufacturing

190.2187.4189.5189.5-0.7-0.4

Trade, transportation, and utilities

424.7421.2426.0423.6-1.1-0.3

Information

81.582.283.483.62.12.6

Financial activities

187.2182.9186.7187.80.60.3

Professional and business services

510.4506.5513.7515.65.21.0

Education and health services

575.9594.9591.2592.616.72.9

Leisure and hospitality

291.2281.1299.4299.58.32.9

Other services

108.1105.2107.9109.71.61.5

Government

289.9321.0317.0292.72.81.0

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

Total nonfarm

4,781.54,816.34,873.14,848.266.71.4

Mining and logging

1.71.61.71.6-0.1-5.9

Construction

189.2182.6189.7192.33.11.6

Manufacturing

424.5427.1430.2429.44.91.2

Trade, transportation, and utilities

952.1954.7962.4959.97.80.8

Information

79.073.274.574.4-4.6-5.8

Financial activities

315.5312.1317.0318.42.90.9

Professional and business services

848.6846.2859.7860.111.51.4

Education and health services

719.8752.3746.6738.218.42.6

Leisure and hospitality

511.6511.0531.4533.822.24.3

Other services

201.1200.3201.2199.6-1.5-0.7

Government

538.4555.2558.7540.52.10.4

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

Total nonfarm

3,679.13,782.03,810.13,808.4129.33.5

Mining, logging, and construction

223.1228.4234.2236.713.66.1

Manufacturing

280.0284.4286.7288.68.63.1

Trade, transportation, and utilities

780.9795.3799.2801.820.92.7

Information

83.880.681.482.0-1.8-2.1

Financial activities

303.0310.6312.3317.614.64.8

Professional and business services

622.4639.4647.2654.231.85.1

Education and health services

449.6460.8461.4464.114.53.2

Leisure and hospitality

391.1403.4411.8408.117.04.3

Other services

126.4128.3132.5130.84.43.5

Government

418.8450.8443.4424.55.71.4

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX

Total nonfarm

3,075.73,167.43,185.23,169.393.63.0

Mining and logging

78.686.687.686.37.79.8

Construction

219.4225.4229.6228.89.44.3

Manufacturing

230.4239.8240.9241.411.04.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities

622.3623.6630.4629.47.11.1

Information

31.830.730.730.4-1.4-4.4

Financial activities

165.3165.1166.6168.22.91.8

Professional and business services

496.4514.6516.4520.924.54.9

Education and health services

392.5403.9402.0401.69.12.3

Leisure and hospitality

333.3335.4341.1343.29.93.0

Other services

112.0119.1122.2120.38.37.4

Government

393.7423.2417.7398.85.11.3

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

Total nonfarm

6,100.36,228.26,246.46,188.187.81.4

Mining and logging

2.42.52.42.50.14.2

Construction

254.0258.9266.8268.914.95.9

Manufacturing

505.4502.0505.2505.0-0.4-0.1

Trade, transportation, and utilities

1,107.31,103.81,104.71,108.31.00.1

Information

231.8233.6236.9234.83.01.3

Financial activities

344.1336.5338.1340.9-3.2-0.9

Professional and business services

938.5945.1947.8949.911.41.2

Education and health services

1,030.01,074.21,066.71,060.430.43.0

Leisure and hospitality

766.9783.8788.4783.416.52.2

Other services

211.3215.5215.5214.83.51.7

Government

708.6772.3773.9719.210.61.5

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

Total nonfarm

2,635.92,731.52,703.82,699.863.92.4

Mining and logging

0.70.70.70.70.00.0

Construction

138.2141.5143.5143.55.33.8

Manufacturing

89.491.491.592.22.83.1

Trade, transportation, and utilities

602.4608.0607.8606.64.20.7

Information

50.550.850.650.60.10.2

Financial activities

184.5186.3186.2186.72.21.2

Professional and business services

444.1458.2459.1460.716.63.7

Education and health services

391.8415.0413.9412.320.55.2

Leisure and hospitality

321.3337.6330.4328.47.12.2

Other services

123.2125.1126.3126.93.73.0

Government

289.8316.9293.8291.21.40.5

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

Total nonfarm

9,859.79,980.310,058.810,005.3145.61.5

Mining, logging, and construction

420.9423.8433.5436.415.53.7

Manufacturing

362.4363.2366.9364.82.40.7

Trade, transportation, and utilities

1,725.31,730.21,746.31,733.27.90.5

Information

295.1290.9296.5297.12.00.7

Financial activities

795.0770.5780.9786.5-8.5-1.1

Professional and business services

1,586.51,584.41,607.51,605.819.31.2

Education and health services

1,938.02,070.92,036.82,000.962.93.2

Leisure and hospitality

993.8968.91,009.41,021.928.12.8

Other services

427.1434.2437.2438.010.92.6

Government

1,315.61,343.31,343.81,320.75.10.4

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

Total nonfarm

2,921.82,981.92,988.02,957.936.11.2

Mining, logging, and construction

121.3126.0128.0128.47.15.9

Manufacturing

182.8181.6183.5183.00.20.1

Trade, transportation, and utilities

521.8518.2520.9518.8-3.0-0.6

Information

48.748.149.049.20.51.0

Financial activities

218.2215.7218.6218.60.40.2

Professional and business services

467.6475.2478.7478.911.32.4

Education and health services

640.6667.5653.9649.28.61.3

Leisure and hospitality

285.3283.7293.3292.57.22.5

Other services

122.7123.7125.2124.11.41.1

Government

312.8342.2336.9315.22.40.8

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ

Total nonfarm

2,056.92,159.22,126.52,117.460.52.9

Mining and logging

3.63.73.73.70.12.8

Construction

125.3137.1137.4137.211.99.5

Manufacturing

128.4133.8134.8135.97.55.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities

401.2407.2408.8409.48.22.0

Information

38.838.638.237.6-1.2-3.1

Financial activities

193.1192.1193.7194.00.90.5

Professional and business services

351.1361.3361.4357.16.01.7

Education and health services

315.2338.6333.7333.918.75.9

Leisure and hospitality

221.7233.4228.7226.64.92.2

Other services

69.471.270.769.70.30.4

Government

209.1242.2215.4212.33.21.5

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA

Total nonfarm

2,440.22,499.62,512.32,504.163.92.6

Mining and logging

0.30.30.30.30.00.0

Construction

127.8134.9137.6137.09.27.2

Manufacturing

146.7143.0143.7144.6-2.1-1.4

Trade, transportation, and utilities

378.5376.1377.4379.91.40.4

Information

118.7120.7123.0123.95.24.4

Financial activities

142.4144.8145.8147.34.93.4

Professional and business services

496.9508.2516.7521.024.14.9

Education and health services

351.0369.4365.6363.212.23.5

Leisure and hospitality

279.3285.1286.0286.06.72.4

Other services

89.887.787.587.2-2.6-2.9

Government

308.8329.4328.7313.74.91.6

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

Total nonfarm

3,318.83,335.73,359.73,363.444.61.3

Mining, logging, and construction

164.5160.3162.8164.60.10.1

Manufacturing

56.255.756.256.20.00.0

Trade, transportation, and utilities

406.8402.6405.8403.7-3.1-0.8

Information

75.073.173.674.4-0.6-0.8

Financial activities

160.9155.9158.3158.2-2.7-1.7

Professional and business services

772.0770.6778.6784.012.01.6

Education and health services

435.4444.5443.3444.59.12.1

Leisure and hospitality

349.3353.0362.9363.914.64.2

Other services

211.3208.9212.0212.81.50.7

Government

687.4711.1706.2701.113.72.0

(p) preliminary

 

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, August 27, 2019