Total nonfarm employment in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area stood at 3,870,400 in November 2019, up 120,700 over the year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. From November 2018 to November 2019, local nonfarm employment rose 3.2 percent compared to the national rate of 1.5 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 number of jobs added over the year and the annual rate of job growth. (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 97,800 jobs from November a year ago, an increase of 3.7 percent. The Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Division, which accounted for the remaining 28 percent of the area’s workforce, added 22,900 jobs during the 12-month period, a gain of 2.1 percent.

Industry employment

Professional and business services added 22,000 jobs in the area from November 2018 to November 2019, the largest gain of any local supersector. The Dallas-Plano-Irving metropolitan division was responsible for the entire local area gain in this sector, as the Fort Worth-Arlington division lost 1,000 jobs over the year. The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area’s 3.5-percent annual rate of job growth in this supersector compared to the U.S. increase of 2.0 percent. (See chart 2.)

Employment was up 18,100 over the year in education and health services in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington. The area’s 4.0-percent rate of job growth compared to the U.S. rate of 2.9 percent. Both metropolitan divisions gained jobs over the year, but growth was particularly strong in the ambulatory health care services industry in Dallas-Plano-Irving, which added 8,100 jobs.

Mining, logging, and construction added 17,300 jobs locally, a 7.7-percent gain over the year. The Dallas-Plano-Irving metropolitan division added jobs at a faster pace than the Fort Worth-Arlington area, as employment in this sector expanded 10.4 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively.

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington added 17,100 jobs in leisure and hospitality from November 2018 to November 2019. The local 4.4-percent annual growth rate compared to the national increase of 2.6 percent. The leisure and hospitality supersector registered growth in both metropolitan divisions as employment rose 5.1 percent in Fort Worth-Arlington and 4.1 percent in Dallas-Plano-Irving.

Trade, transportation, and utilities, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington’s largest supersector, added 16,400 jobs from November 2018 to November 2019. Locally, employment rose in all three sub-sectors: retail trade (+6,300); wholesale trade (+5,900); and transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+4,200). The 2.0-percent rate of local job growth compared to the national gain of 0.4 percent.

Financial activities added 15,400 jobs from November a year ago. The local 5.1-percent rate of annual job growth compared to the national rate of 1.4 percent. Both metropolitan areas contributed to the supersector’s job gain.

Three other local sectors had annual job gains ranging from 6,000 to 3,100 from November 2018 to November 2019: manufacturing (+6,000), government (+5,300), and other services (+3,100).

Employment in the 12 largest metropolitan areas

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington was 1 of the nation’s 12 largest metropolitan statistical areas in November 2019. All 12 areas had over-the-year job growth during the period, with the rates of job growth in 8 areas at or above the national average of 1.5 percent. Dallas had the fastest rate of job growth, up 3.2 percent, followed by Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land (+2.7 percent), and Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale (+2.6 percent). Chicago-Naperville-Elgin had the slowest rate of annual job growth, up 0.6 percent. (See chart 3 and table 2.)

Dallas added the largest number of jobs over the year, 120,700, followed by New York-Newark-Jersey City with 99,400 jobs. Chicago had the smallest employment gain over the year, adding 28,600 jobs, followed by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington with 29,000 jobs. Annual gains in the remaining eight metropolitan areas ranged from 96,000 in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim to 39,000 in Boston-Cambridge-Nashua.

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

The information sector lost the most jobs in three areas: Houston, Phoenix, and Washington. Atlanta and Dallas were the only areas to have no job losses in any supersector from November 2018 to November 2019.

Metropolitan area employment data for December 2019 are scheduled to be released on Friday, January 24, 2020, 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. Detailed industry employment data for metropolitan areas from the CES program are available from the State and Area Employment databases at www.bls.gov/sae/data/.

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	Nov. 2018	Sep. 2019	Oct. 2019	Nov. 2019(p)	Nov. 2018 to Nov. 2019(p)
					Net change	Percent change
United States
Total nonfarm	151,375	152,016	153,002	153,624	2,249	1.5
Mining and logging	751	754	760	747	-4	-0.5
Construction	7,457	7,697	7,715	7,602	145	1.9
Manufacturing	12,783	12,884	12,819	12,862	79	0.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	28,387	27,703	27,914	28,500	113	0.4
Information	2,854	2,822	2,828	2,865	11	0.4
Financial activities	8,609	8,705	8,732	8,728	119	1.4
Professional and business services	21,444	21,625	21,825	21,869	425	2.0
Education and health services	24,089	24,349	24,652	24,784	695	2.9
Leisure and hospitality	16,182	16,922	16,806	16,601	419	2.6
Other services	5,859	5,933	5,945	5,942	83	1.4
Government	22,960	22,622	23,006	23,124	164	0.7
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area
Total nonfarm	3,749.7	3,810.3	3,837.2	3,870.4	120.7	3.2
Mining, logging, and construction	224.6	237.8	242.1	241.9	17.3	7.7
Manufacturing	282.7	288.2	283.7	288.7	6.0	2.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities	813.1	796.6	805.9	829.5	16.4	2.0
Information	82.7	81.2	81.8	82.7	0.0	0.0
Financial activities	304.6	319.5	319.6	320.0	15.4	5.1
Professional and business services	625.4	648.6	648.8	647.4	22.0	3.5
Education and health services	454.7	466.1	470.9	472.8	18.1	4.0
Leisure and hospitality	387.4	402.5	403.9	404.5	17.1	4.4
Other services	125.4	128.0	128.7	128.5	3.1	2.5
Government	449.1	441.8	451.8	454.4	5.3	1.2
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division
Total nonfarm	2,674.8	2,732.2	2,752.8	2,772.6	97.8	3.7
Mining, logging, and construction	148.0	161.2	163.2	163.4	15.4	10.4
Manufacturing	181.9	185.5	185.5	185.7	3.8	2.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities	542.9	530.8	539.2	554.3	11.4	2.1
Information	71.6	70.4	71.0	71.8	0.2	0.3
Financial activities	242.9	254.8	254.8	255.3	12.4	5.1
Professional and business services	509.5	534.2	535.1	532.5	23.0	4.5
Education and health services	316.1	325.1	327.0	330.0	13.9	4.4
Leisure and hospitality	267.2	277.1	278.5	278.2	11.0	4.1
Other services	87.0	88.4	88.6	89.0	2.0	2.3
Government	307.7	304.7	309.9	312.4	4.7	1.5
Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Division
Total nonfarm	1,074.9	1,078.1	1,084.4	1,097.8	22.9	2.1
Mining, logging, and construction	76.6	76.6	78.9	78.5	1.9	2.5
Manufacturing	100.8	102.7	98.2	103.0	2.2	2.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	270.2	265.8	266.7	275.2	5.0	1.9
Information	11.1	10.8	10.8	10.9	-0.2	-1.8
Financial activities	61.7	64.7	64.8	64.7	3.0	4.9
Professional and business services	115.9	114.4	113.7	114.9	-1.0	-0.9
Education and health services	138.6	141.0	143.9	142.8	4.2	3.0
Leisure and hospitality	120.2	125.4	125.4	126.3	6.1	5.1
Other services	38.4	39.6	40.1	39.5	1.1	2.9
Government	141.4	137.1	141.9	142.0	0.6	0.4
(p) preliminary

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

Area and Industry	Nov. 2018	Sep. 2019	Oct. 2019	Nov. 2019(p)	Nov. 2018 to Nov. 2019(p)
					Net change	Percent change
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Total nonfarm	2,826.7	2,851.9	2,873.5	2,887.9	61.2	2.2
Mining and logging	1.6	1.6	1.6	1.6	0.0	0.0
Construction	128.3	133.6	134.0	134.0	5.7	4.4
Manufacturing	172.2	175.7	175.3	174.8	2.6	1.5
Trade, transportation, and utilities	617.0	606.7	611.7	624.4	7.4	1.2
Information	98.7	97.9	99.9	101.9	3.2	3.2
Financial activities	174.8	176.1	175.5	175.4	0.6	0.3
Professional and business services	538.4	539.3	545.0	546.3	7.9	1.5
Education and health services	360.4	369.1	372.6	375.3	14.9	4.1
Leisure and hospitality	298.7	311.9	315.9	311.3	12.6	4.2
Other services	97.4	98.4	98.4	98.2	0.8	0.8
Government	339.2	341.6	343.6	344.7	5.5	1.6
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
Total nonfarm	2,796.5	2,809.4	2,834.9	2,835.5	39.0	1.4
Mining, logging, and construction	119.2	121.9	123.5	122.4	3.2	2.7
Manufacturing	187.8	187.2	187.7	188.1	0.3	0.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	433.4	420.0	423.6	429.4	-4.0	-0.9
Information	81.4	83.5	83.6	84.1	2.7	3.3
Financial activities	182.9	185.1	185.0	185.2	2.3	1.3
Professional and business services	507.1	514.5	519.0	517.3	10.2	2.0
Education and health services	593.2	595.7	608.4	610.4	17.2	2.9
Leisure and hospitality	266.3	281.8	279.8	272.0	5.7	2.1
Other services	103.0	103.7	104.3	103.6	0.6	0.6
Government	322.2	316.0	320.0	323.0	0.8	0.2
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
Total nonfarm	4,820.0	4,821.1	4,860.4	4,848.6	28.6	0.6
Mining and logging	1.6	1.6	1.7	1.6	0.0	0.0
Construction	184.7	189.1	189.1	182.6	-2.1	-1.1
Manufacturing	423.7	426.0	426.1	424.8	1.1	0.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities	978.3	955.1	963.6	976.0	-2.3	-0.2
Information	75.9	73.5	74.5	73.9	-2.0	-2.6
Financial activities	314.1	313.9	315.5	315.7	1.6	0.5
Professional and business services	862.0	857.9	863.4	856.7	-5.3	-0.6
Education and health services	747.7	745.4	761.1	763.3	15.6	2.1
Leisure and hospitality	480.3	505.5	504.1	490.6	10.3	2.1
Other services	198.2	198.7	198.9	199.1	0.9	0.5
Government	553.5	554.4	562.4	564.3	10.8	2.0
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
Total nonfarm	3,749.7	3,810.3	3,837.2	3,870.4	120.7	3.2
Mining, logging, and construction	224.6	237.8	242.1	241.9	17.3	7.7
Manufacturing	282.7	288.2	283.7	288.7	6.0	2.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities	813.1	796.6	805.9	829.5	16.4	2.0
Information	82.7	81.2	81.8	82.7	0.0	0.0
Financial activities	304.6	319.5	319.6	320.0	15.4	5.1
Professional and business services	625.4	648.6	648.8	647.4	22.0	3.5
Education and health services	454.7	466.1	470.9	472.8	18.1	4.0
Leisure and hospitality	387.4	402.5	403.9	404.5	17.1	4.4
Other services	125.4	128.0	128.7	128.5	3.1	2.5
Government	449.1	441.8	451.8	454.4	5.3	1.2
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
Total nonfarm	3,137.6	3,173.9	3,204.1	3,223.1	85.5	2.7
Mining and logging	81.3	87.4	88.2	87.6	6.3	7.7
Construction	226.8	232.2	231.8	231.3	4.5	2.0
Manufacturing	234.4	241.4	241.1	241.0	6.6	2.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	641.2	626.5	633.1	649.1	7.9	1.2
Information	31.7	29.7	29.8	29.8	-1.9	-6.0
Financial activities	164.3	168.0	168.7	168.0	3.7	2.3
Professional and business services	502.3	521.0	530.6	528.7	26.4	5.3
Education and health services	399.4	404.6	408.8	412.4	13.0	3.3
Leisure and hospitality	321.7	329.1	331.1	328.6	6.9	2.1
Other services	113.4	120.3	119.8	120.8	7.4	6.5
Government	421.1	413.7	421.1	425.8	4.7	1.1
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Total nonfarm	6,247.2	6,249.5	6,302.2	6,343.2	96.0	1.5
Mining and logging	2.4	2.4	2.4	2.4	0.0	0.0
Construction	257.6	271.2	272.6	267.1	9.5	3.7
Manufacturing	501.5	505.0	504.0	503.3	1.8	0.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	1,139.6	1,111.0	1,118.3	1,146.4	6.8	0.6
Information	250.4	242.2	241.4	249.4	-1.0	-0.4
Financial activities	342.1	341.4	344.5	345.7	3.6	1.1
Professional and business services	952.5	962.4	966.4	968.4	15.9	1.7
Education and health services	1,063.5	1,085.7	1,095.4	1,099.7	36.2	3.4
Leisure and hospitality	758.4	776.8	782.3	779.5	21.1	2.8
Other services	214.2	211.5	213.2	211.5	-2.7	-1.3
Government	765.0	739.9	761.7	769.8	4.8	0.6
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
Total nonfarm	2,735.0	2,730.9	2,755.3	2,775.1	40.1	1.5
Mining and logging	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.0	0.0
Construction	141.6	144.8	144.9	145.0	3.4	2.4
Manufacturing	92.0	90.0	89.7	89.3	-2.7	-2.9
Trade, transportation, and utilities	625.4	606.3	614.4	626.2	0.8	0.1
Information	51.7	49.9	50.3	50.7	-1.0	-1.9
Financial activities	186.1	187.4	188.5	189.3	3.2	1.7
Professional and business services	454.6	463.0	463.4	461.9	7.3	1.6
Education and health services	407.7	419.1	424.5	424.9	17.2	4.2
Leisure and hospitality	332.6	326.6	330.5	336.4	3.8	1.1
Other services	124.5	125.5	126.1	127.3	2.8	2.2
Government	318.1	317.6	322.3	323.4	5.3	1.7
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
Total nonfarm	9,980.7	9,919.3	10,017.1	10,080.1	99.4	1.0
Mining, logging, and construction	417.5	431.5	427.1	422.5	5.0	1.2
Manufacturing	362.8	361.9	360.0	362.0	-0.8	-0.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	1,787.3	1,732.6	1,745.7	1,783.7	-3.6	-0.2
Information	295.6	294.7	292.7	296.4	0.8	0.3
Financial activities	778.4	768.7	768.3	770.8	-7.6	-1.0
Professional and business services	1,597.3	1,587.1	1,603.6	1,602.1	4.8	0.3
Education and health services	2,043.5	2,032.5	2,087.6	2,109.3	65.8	3.2
Leisure and hospitality	921.4	970.1	953.1	946.8	25.4	2.8
Other services	428.8	428.5	435.1	433.0	4.2	1.0
Government	1,348.1	1,311.7	1,343.9	1,353.5	5.4	0.4
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Total nonfarm	2,982.3	2,985.6	3,002.6	3,011.3	29.0	1.0
Mining, logging, and construction	122.1	126.9	127.0	123.4	1.3	1.1
Manufacturing	182.1	181.7	181.5	181.8	-0.3	-0.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	535.7	520.1	525.5	536.2	0.5	0.1
Information	48.6	48.3	48.4	48.6	0.0	0.0
Financial activities	216.6	219.2	220.2	220.5	3.9	1.8
Professional and business services	471.6	477.9	478.1	480.7	9.1	1.9
Education and health services	670.8	667.8	675.4	678.4	7.6	1.1
Leisure and hospitality	267.9	281.1	278.6	273.1	5.2	1.9
Other services	121.8	123.3	123.0	121.8	0.0	0.0
Government	345.1	339.3	344.9	346.8	1.7	0.5
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
Total nonfarm	2,169.3	2,176.4	2,203.0	2,225.8	56.5	2.6
Mining and logging	3.7	3.5	3.5	3.6	-0.1	-2.7
Construction	129.9	138.4	138.3	136.5	6.6	5.1
Manufacturing	130.4	136.8	137.0	137.2	6.8	5.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	420.1	412.1	419.2	432.6	12.5	3.0
Information	38.9	37.8	38.3	38.2	-0.7	-1.8
Financial activities	193.5	195.5	197.8	197.3	3.8	2.0
Professional and business services	366.4	362.9	368.7	373.8	7.4	2.0
Education and health services	335.2	341.9	344.5	349.3	14.1	4.2
Leisure and hospitality	231.7	230.0	235.0	234.7	3.0	1.3
Other services	71.2	71.9	73.8	74.6	3.4	4.8
Government	248.3	245.6	246.9	248.0	-0.3	-0.1
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
Total nonfarm	2,479.2	2,511.2	2,528.0	2,538.7	59.5	2.4
Mining and logging	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.0	0.0
Construction	129.0	136.3	135.4	134.0	5.0	3.9
Manufacturing	144.0	144.3	143.9	144.3	0.3	0.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	388.9	378.8	380.8	389.1	0.2	0.1
Information	117.7	122.7	123.0	123.8	6.1	5.2
Financial activities	142.1	146.5	147.5	147.7	5.6	3.9
Professional and business services	504.9	519.5	524.5	524.1	19.2	3.8
Education and health services	361.2	369.6	373.7	375.2	14.0	3.9
Leisure and hospitality	274.9	284.0	283.7	282.3	7.4	2.7
Other services	88.4	85.4	85.9	86.0	-2.4	-2.7
Government	327.8	323.8	329.3	331.9	4.1	1.3
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Total nonfarm	3,323.8	3,338.7	3,363.7	3,384.9	61.1	1.8
Mining, logging, and construction	163.0	165.6	164.6	164.9	1.9	1.2
Manufacturing	55.2	55.0	55.8	56.2	1.0	1.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	413.7	399.8	402.9	414.1	0.4	0.1
Information	74.1	72.9	73.9	72.8	-1.3	-1.8
Financial activities	155.8	157.1	158.6	157.6	1.8	1.2
Professional and business services	762.5	774.2	783.2	787.3	24.8	3.3
Education and health services	450.9	451.3	455.4	459.2	8.3	1.8
Leisure and hospitality	332.1	353.7	353.8	352.5	20.4	6.1
Other services	208.9	208.5	209.4	209.1	0.2	0.1
Government	707.6	700.6	706.1	711.2	3.6	0.5
(p) preliminary