Total nonfarm employment for the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX, metropolitan area increased by 188,900 over the year in July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See chart 1 and table 1.) Regional Commissioner Michael Hirniak noted that the local rate of job gain, 6.1 percent, compared to the 4.0-percent national increase. (All data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year analysis is used throughout.)

Industry employment

In Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX, trade, transportation, and utilities had the largest employment gain (+42,300) among local private-industry supersectors. (See chart 2.) Within the supersector, employment increased by 15,100 in the retail trade sector and by 13,600 in the wholesale trade sector. The 6.7-percent rate of job increase in Houston’s trade, transportation, and utilities supersector compared to the 3.5-percent gain nationwide.

Leisure and hospitality added 31,500 jobs in the Houston area from July 2021 to July 2022. Within this supersector, the accommodation and food services sector accounted for most of the increase (+26,800). The 9.8-percent rise in the metropolitan area’s leisure and hospitality supersector compared to the 8.7-percent gain on a national level.

In the metropolitan area, construction gained 31,000 jobs over the year. This supersector’s 14.8-percent local rate of job growth compared to the 4.2-percent national gain.

Education and health services gained 26,100 jobs in the Houston area over the year. The healthcare and social assistance sector increased by 18,300 jobs, while the education services sector gained 7,800 jobs. The education and health services supersector’s 6.4-percent local rate of job growth compared to the 3.3-percent gain nationwide.

Houston’s manufacturing employment rose by 14,500 from July a year ago. The 6.8-percent rate of job increase in Houston’s manufacturing supersector compared to the 3.8-percent gain nationwide.

In the metropolitan area, mining and logging added 11,600 jobs over the year. This supersector’s 19.6-percent local rate of job growth compared to the 11.3-percent national gain.

Twelve largest metropolitan areas

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX, was 1 of the nation’s 12 largest metropolitan statistical areas in July 2022. All 12 areas gained jobs over the year. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA, had the largest increase (+497,500). Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, had the smallest increase (+75,000) among the largest areas, followed by Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ (+94,200). (See table 2 and chart 3.)

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, had a 7.2-percent rate of job gain. The rates of job gain in the remaining 11 areas ranged from 6.1 percent in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX, to 2.3 percent in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.

The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment release for August 2022 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, September 28, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Technical Note

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

Definitions. Employment data refer to persons on establishment payrolls who receive pay for any part of the pay period which 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 estimates are produced with a model that uses direct sample estimates (described above) combined with other regressors to decrease volatility in estimation.

Annual revisions. Employment estimates are adjusted annually to a complete count of jobs, called benchmarks, derived principally from tax reports which 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. Information on recent benchmark revisions is available online at www.bls.gov/web/laus/benchmark.htm.

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 totals shown in the same tables due to rounding.

Employment estimates. Changes in metropolitan area nonfarm payroll employment are cited in the analysis of this release only if they have been determined to be statistically significant at the 90-percent confidence level. 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.

Area definitions. The substate area data published in this news release reflect the delineations issued by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget on April 10, 2018. The 12 metropolitan areas discussed in this release are the metropolitan areas with the largest population according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area includes Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller Counties.

Additional information

Employment data from the CES program are available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/sae/.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

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. 2021	May 2022	Jun. 2022	Jul. 2022(p)	Jul. 2021 to Jul. 2022(p)
					Net change	Percent change
United States
Total nonfarm	146,452	151,728	152,634	152,249	5,797	4.0
Mining and logging	577	616	632	642	65	11.3
Construction	7,605	7,707	7,855	7,928	323	4.2
Manufacturing	12,417	12,742	12,871	12,887	470	3.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	27,645	28,438	28,641	28,618	973	3.5
Information	2,859	2,975	3,028	3,047	188	6.6
Financial activities	8,836	8,921	8,994	9,031	195	2.2
Professional and business services	21,316	22,156	22,310	22,426	1,110	5.2
Education and health services	23,434	24,265	24,159	24,199	765	3.3
Leisure and hospitality	15,212	15,761	16,325	16,541	1,329	8.7
Other services	5,570	5,692	5,762	5,786	216	3.9
Government	20,981	22,455	22,057	21,144	163	0.8
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area
Total nonfarm	3,078.1	3,230.3	3,266.1	3,267.0	188.9	6.1
Mining and logging	59.2	66.9	68.8	70.8	11.6	19.6
Construction	209.8	232.5	238.3	240.8	31.0	14.8
Manufacturing	213.4	222.2	225.7	227.9	14.5	6.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	631.9	665.2	669.0	674.2	42.3	6.7
Information	30.8	31.6	32.0	32.3	1.5	4.9
Financial activities	170.8	172.4	172.4	172.9	2.1	1.2
Professional and business services	509.1	516.0	525.2	531.1	22.0	4.3
Education and health services	409.6	431.4	432.6	435.7	26.1	6.4
Leisure and hospitality	322.6	344.3	355.5	354.1	31.5	9.8
Other services	110.4	111.5	115.1	114.7	4.3	3.9
Government	410.5	436.3	431.5	412.5	2.0	0.5
(p) preliminary

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

Area	Jul 2021	May 2022	Jun 2022	Jul 2022(p)	Jul 2021 to Jul 2022(p)
					Net change	Percent change
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Total nonfarm	2,830.7	2,963.2	2,984.6	2,983.5	152.8	5.4
Mining and logging	1.8	1.9	2.0	2.0	0.2	11.1
Construction	132.5	133.1	133.8	132.5	0.0	0.0
Manufacturing	169.2	176.5	178.0	177.0	7.8	4.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	605.4	637.5	641.0	642.2	36.8	6.1
Information	108.5	120.9	121.8	121.6	13.1	12.1
Financial activities	185.8	192.9	195.2	196.8	11.0	5.9
Professional and business services	560.5	590.3	596.4	598.2	37.7	6.7
Education and health services	369.1	387.0	387.7	386.8	17.7	4.8
Leisure and hospitality	279.1	289.1	295.7	300.8	21.7	7.8
Other services	101.4	102.6	104.2	103.0	1.6	1.6
Government	317.4	331.4	328.8	322.6	5.2	1.6
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH (NECTA)
Total nonfarm	2,693.1	2,784.0	2,819.3	2,820.8	127.7	4.7
Mining, logging, and construction	127.9	130.3	133.7	135.6	7.7	6.0
Manufacturing	180.0	184.4	185.6	186.8	6.8	3.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	402.0	409.7	416.4	414.7	12.7	3.2
Information	84.0	85.6	87.5	89.0	5.0	6.0
Financial activities	184.9	178.3	180.0	181.4	-3.5	-1.9
Professional and business services	524.1	541.7	549.0	556.4	32.3	6.2
Education and health services	574.3	597.7	595.3	598.9	24.6	4.3
Leisure and hospitality	240.0	252.4	270.2	275.5	35.5	14.8
Other services	94.7	95.3	98.2	101.2	6.5	6.9
Government	281.2	308.6	303.4	281.3	0.1	0.0
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
Total nonfarm	4,557.4	4,693.3	4,753.6	4,760.2	202.8	4.4
Mining and logging	1.9	1.9	1.9	1.9	0.0	0.0
Construction	183.5	184.4	192.5	193.9	10.4	5.7
Manufacturing	401.6	409.7	412.6	417.6	16.0	4.0
Trade, transportation, and utilities	931.5	951.5	960.9	964.5	33.0	3.5
Information	75.6	78.0	79.4	78.7	3.1	4.1
Financial activities	318.9	313.4	314.9	319.0	0.1	0.0
Professional and business services	817.7	842.6	857.1	861.2	43.5	5.3
Education and health services	704.4	729.8	725.9	719.0	14.6	2.1
Leisure and hospitality	430.7	458.9	483.8	492.3	61.6	14.3
Other services	184.2	187.2	189.2	189.9	5.7	3.1
Government	507.4	535.9	535.4	522.2	14.8	2.9
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
Total nonfarm	3,847.6	4,100.0	4,119.4	4,125.2	277.6	7.2
Mining, logging, and construction	220.9	234.4	230.8	231.8	10.9	4.9
Manufacturing	287.5	296.0	299.7	301.2	13.7	4.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	833.3	881.2	886.5	890.1	56.8	6.8
Information	82.2	86.1	87.2	88.1	5.9	7.2
Financial activities	345.3	364.1	368.0	371.5	26.2	7.6
Professional and business services	690.2	753.0	756.2	761.6	71.4	10.3
Education and health services	459.3	481.5	485.2	488.4	29.1	6.3
Leisure and hospitality	379.5	418.3	428.7	431.6	52.1	13.7
Other services	122.6	132.8	134.4	134.3	11.7	9.5
Government	426.8	452.6	442.7	426.6	-0.2	0.0
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
Total nonfarm	3,078.1	3,230.3	3,266.1	3,267.0	188.9	6.1
Mining and logging	59.2	66.9	68.8	70.8	11.6	19.6
Construction	209.8	232.5	238.3	240.8	31.0	14.8
Manufacturing	213.4	222.2	225.7	227.9	14.5	6.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	631.9	665.2	669.0	674.2	42.3	6.7
Information	30.8	31.6	32.0	32.3	1.5	4.9
Financial activities	170.8	172.4	172.4	172.9	2.1	1.2
Professional and business services	509.1	516.0	525.2	531.1	22.0	4.3
Education and health services	409.6	431.4	432.6	435.7	26.1	6.4
Leisure and hospitality	322.6	344.3	355.5	354.1	31.5	9.8
Other services	110.4	111.5	115.1	114.7	4.3	3.9
Government	410.5	436.3	431.5	412.5	2.0	0.5
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Total nonfarm	5,908.1	6,157.7	6,174.4	6,155.5	247.4	4.2
Mining and logging	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	0.0	0.0
Construction	253.0	259.7	261.6	265.7	12.7	5.0
Manufacturing	461.4	471.7	474.3	476.2	14.8	3.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	1,065.6	1,090.8	1,096.2	1,100.0	34.4	3.2
Information	241.2	254.3	253.8	256.2	15.0	6.2
Financial activities	330.4	326.9	328.6	328.6	-1.8	-0.5
Professional and business services	957.4	982.4	986.4	997.4	40.0	4.2
Education and health services	1,072.1	1,117.3	1,110.3	1,114.1	42.0	3.9
Leisure and hospitality	659.0	716.8	723.1	731.8	72.8	11.0
Other services	187.1	201.2	202.0	207.6	20.5	11.0
Government	678.9	734.6	736.1	675.9	-3.0	-0.4
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
Total nonfarm	2,646.4	2,783.1	2,770.3	2,789.3	142.9	5.4
Mining and logging	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.0	0.0
Construction	139.4	144.0	143.6	145.2	5.8	4.2
Manufacturing	89.4	95.0	95.4	95.8	6.4	7.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	604.5	634.4	637.8	639.8	35.3	5.8
Information	51.7	52.6	52.7	53.1	1.4	2.7
Financial activities	197.8	201.9	202.2	204.4	6.6	3.3
Professional and business services	467.7	486.5	487.8	492.1	24.4	5.2
Education and health services	403.8	419.7	419.4	426.4	22.6	5.6
Leisure and hospitality	295.1	324.9	326.6	326.5	31.4	10.6
Other services	111.3	116.5	118.8	120.1	8.8	7.9
Government	284.8	306.7	285.1	285.0	0.2	0.1
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
Total nonfarm	9,335.6	9,727.4	9,867.2	9,833.1	497.5	5.3
Mining, logging, and construction	396.2	391.9	395.9	397.8	1.6	0.4
Manufacturing	334.6	339.8	343.4	343.3	8.7	2.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	1,587.6	1,648.9	1,669.3	1,653.1	65.5	4.1
Information	309.5	321.2	329.8	330.7	21.2	6.8
Financial activities	778.9	776.1	787.3	791.9	13.0	1.7
Professional and business services	1,544.2	1,613.2	1,637.9	1,642.9	98.7	6.4
Education and health services	1,957.3	2,072.5	2,067.0	2,057.6	100.3	5.1
Leisure and hospitality	791.0	862.4	915.7	932.0	141.0	17.8
Other services	374.5	401.5	408.5	410.8	36.3	9.7
Government	1,261.8	1,299.9	1,312.4	1,273.0	11.2	0.9
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Total nonfarm	2,861.1	2,967.6	2,986.2	2,984.4	123.3	4.3
Mining, logging, and construction	123.0	122.1	123.9	124.3	1.3	1.1
Manufacturing	174.1	178.9	179.2	180.8	6.7	3.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	519.2	539.7	545.9	546.9	27.7	5.3
Information	49.0	49.7	50.4	50.6	1.6	3.3
Financial activities	219.4	218.9	220.1	221.5	2.1	1.0
Professional and business services	475.8	492.9	498.0	503.6	27.8	5.8
Education and health services	631.3	659.4	653.6	653.5	22.2	3.5
Leisure and hospitality	246.7	256.4	269.1	272.8	26.1	10.6
Other services	113.6	118.2	120.1	121.2	7.6	6.7
Government	309.0	331.4	325.9	309.2	0.2	0.1
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
Total nonfarm	2,178.3	2,273.5	2,254.7	2,272.5	94.2	4.3
Mining and logging	2.8	3.0	3.0	3.0	0.2	7.1
Construction	139.8	141.4	143.7	144.5	4.7	3.4
Manufacturing	138.1	143.4	145.2	147.2	9.1	6.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	436.5	451.4	453.1	457.9	21.4	4.9
Information	40.1	42.8	43.3	43.3	3.2	8.0
Financial activities	216.6	212.7	215.4	216.3	-0.3	-0.1
Professional and business services	365.0	377.3	376.1	382.6	17.6	4.8
Education and health services	338.2	358.6	354.5	359.7	21.5	6.4
Leisure and hospitality	214.7	232.0	231.1	230.7	16.0	7.5
Other services	68.0	71.7	70.6	70.2	2.2	3.2
Government	218.5	239.2	218.7	217.1	-1.4	-0.6
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
Total nonfarm	2,346.6	2,447.6	2,463.3	2,466.0	119.4	5.1
Mining and logging	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.0	0.0
Construction	124.1	126.9	128.0	132.5	8.4	6.8
Manufacturing	147.9	152.8	155.3	155.5	7.6	5.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities	347.0	357.3	360.2	361.8	14.8	4.3
Information	141.0	144.9	147.0	150.1	9.1	6.5
Financial activities	140.6	140.8	141.7	142.8	2.2	1.6
Professional and business services	495.4	518.3	522.2	528.9	33.5	6.8
Education and health services	364.8	372.7	370.0	368.5	3.7	1.0
Leisure and hospitality	213.1	232.1	237.7	241.1	28.0	13.1
Other services	76.8	83.3	84.7	85.7	8.9	11.6
Government	295.5	318.1	316.1	298.7	3.2	1.1
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Total nonfarm	3,240.7	3,292.3	3,321.0	3,315.7	75.0	2.3
Mining, logging, and construction	163.7	163.7	167.0	166.5	2.8	1.7
Manufacturing	55.6	55.5	56.3	56.3	0.7	1.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities	397.6	400.6	407.6	407.6	10.0	2.5
Information	77.2	76.7	78.2	79.4	2.2	2.8
Financial activities	158.6	151.7	154.2	152.2	-6.4	-4.0
Professional and business services	791.1	793.6	800.4	805.9	14.8	1.9
Education and health services	419.7	432.9	433.9	438.1	18.4	4.4
Leisure and hospitality	283.5	305.3	314.9	316.4	32.9	11.6
Other services	196.9	198.0	198.8	199.7	2.8	1.4
Government	696.8	714.3	709.7	693.6	-3.2	-0.5
(p) Preliminary