Total nonfarm employment for the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX, metropolitan area increased by 60,200 over the year in October, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that the local rate of job gain, 1.8 percent, compared to the 1.3-percent national increase. (See chart 1 and table 1.) (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, construction had the only significant gain (+17,800) among the metropolitan area’s private-industry supersectors. (See chart 2.) The 7.7-percent increase in the metropolitan area’s construction supersector compared to the 2.7-percent gain on a national level.

Twelve largest metropolitan areas

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX, was 1 of the nation’s 12 largest metropolitan statistical areas in October 2024. Seven of twelve areas gained total nonfarm payroll employment over the year. The largest job gain occurred in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA (+132,700). Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (+37,000), had the smallest employment increase among the areas with significant changes. (See table 2 and chart 3.)

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ, reported a 1.9-percent rate of job gain. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, reported a job gain of 0.9 percent.

The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment release for November 2024 is scheduled to be released on Friday, January 3, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. (CT).

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. More information about the CES data is available in the State Employment and Unemployment Summary and the Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary.

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 2022 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 compensate for smaller sample sizes.

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. Further information on CES benchmark methods and recent benchmark revisions is available in the CES State and Area benchmark article.

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. Reliability of state and area estimates for the total nonfarm employment series are available for metropolitan areas and metropolitan divisions.

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

State and area employment data from the CES program are available on the BLS website.

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	Oct. 2023	Aug. 2024	Sep. 2024	Oct. 2024(p)	Oct. 2023 to Oct. 2024(p)
					Net change	Percent change
United States(1)
Total nonfarm	157,878	158,731	159,181	160,007	2,129	1.3
Mining and logging	648	644	643	643	-5	-0.8
Construction	8,249	8,494	8,445	8,470	221	2.7
Manufacturing	12,922	12,982	12,927	12,874	-48	-0.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	28,973	28,918	28,945	29,157	184	0.6
Information	2,989	3,022	2,991	2,999	10	0.3
Financial activities	9,244	9,309	9,259	9,275	31	0.3
Professional and business services	23,116	23,050	23,009	23,084	-32	-0.1
Education and health services	25,848	26,210	26,535	26,830	982	3.8
Leisure and hospitality	16,704	17,591	17,072	16,945	241	1.4
Other services	5,857	5,964	5,913	5,926	69	1.2
Government	23,328	22,547	23,442	23,804	476	2.0
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area
Total nonfarm	3,413.8	3,447.0	3,461.9	3,474.0	60.2	1.8
Mining and logging	71.6	72.6	72.3	72.9	1.3	1.8
Construction	232.4	247.0	249.3	250.2	17.8	7.7
Manufacturing	235.4	239.5	239.4	239.2	3.8	1.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	692.4	692.0	692.2	697.1	4.7	0.7
Information	33.0	32.1	32.3	32.5	-0.5	-1.5
Financial activities	187.6	192.7	192.1	193.3	5.7	3.0
Professional and business services	564.3	564.3	563.8	563.0	-1.3	-0.2
Education and health services	458.3	468.5	470.8	470.0	11.7	2.6
Leisure and hospitality	357.1	365.7	362.3	362.6	5.5	1.5
Other services	128.0	136.0	133.5	133.3	5.3	4.1
Government	453.7	436.6	453.9	459.9	6.2	1.4
(1) U.S. data are preliminary for two months after they are first published. (p) Preliminary

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

Area	Oct 2023	Aug 2024	Sep 2024	Oct 2024(p)	Oct 2023 to Oct 2024(p)
					Net change	Percent change
United States(1)
Total nonfarm	157,878	158,731	159,181	160,007	2,129	1.3
Mining and logging	648	644	643	643	-5	-0.8
Construction	8,249	8,494	8,445	8,470	221	2.7
Manufacturing	12,922	12,982	12,927	12,874	-48	-0.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	28,973	28,918	28,945	29,157	184	0.6
Information	2,989	3,022	2,991	2,999	10	0.3
Financial activities	9,244	9,309	9,259	9,275	31	0.3
Professional and business services	23,116	23,050	23,009	23,084	-32	-0.1
Education and health services	25,848	26,210	26,535	26,830	982	3.8
Leisure and hospitality	16,704	17,591	17,072	16,945	241	1.4
Other services	5,857	5,964	5,913	5,926	69	1.2
Government	23,328	22,547	23,442	23,804	476	2.0
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Total nonfarm	3,073.4	3,097.4	3,093.0	3,102.1	28.7	0.9
Mining and logging	2.0	2.1	2.1	2.1	0.1	5.0
Construction	145.7	149.0	149.7	150.7	5.0	3.4
Manufacturing	182.2	181.8	180.4	179.6	-2.6	-1.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	661.3	650.3	650.1	652.5	-8.8	-1.3
Information	98.0	96.8	95.0	94.1	-3.9	-4.0
Financial activities	204.8	209.6	208.3	208.6	3.8	1.9
Professional and business services	590.2	583.3	580.1	578.6	-11.6	-2.0
Education and health services	421.6	427.7	430.7	433.7	12.1	2.9
Leisure and hospitality	310.9	327.9	325.1	327.9	17.0	5.5
Other services	103.4	107.5	108.1	108.0	4.6	4.4
Government	353.3	361.4	363.4	366.3	13.0	3.7
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH (NECTA)
Total nonfarm	2,827.1	2,838.7	2,829.1	2,840.5	13.4	0.5
Mining, logging, and construction	134.0	135.7	133.7	134.6	0.6	0.4
Manufacturing	183.5	179.9	179.4	179.3	-4.2	-2.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities	406.8	402.0	399.5	402.9	-3.9	-1.0
Information	79.0	77.0	76.2	76.6	-2.4	-3.0
Financial activities	183.9	189.5	184.3	185.3	1.4	0.8
Professional and business services	532.5	533.2	527.3	530.5	-2.0	-0.4
Education and health services	619.9	614.1	623.1	629.2	9.3	1.5
Leisure and hospitality	265.0	300.4	278.6	272.4	7.4	2.8
Other services	103.3	108.7	104.5	105.7	2.4	2.3
Government	319.2	298.2	322.5	324.0	4.8	1.5
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
Total nonfarm	4,818.0	4,808.2	4,809.9	4,819.5	1.5	0.0
Mining and logging	1.6	1.7	1.6	1.7	0.1	6.3
Construction	192.4	193.2	191.7	191.0	-1.4	-0.7
Manufacturing	411.0	421.8	420.0	420.4	9.4	2.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities	974.7	964.7	967.5	973.6	-1.1	-0.1
Information	76.8	75.9	75.3	74.6	-2.2	-2.9
Financial activities	322.4	320.5	316.6	317.7	-4.7	-1.5
Professional and business services	851.2	823.3	820.6	823.0	-28.2	-3.3
Education and health services	771.9	770.6	782.3	790.1	18.2	2.4
Leisure and hospitality	474.5	493.6	475.2	470.1	-4.4	-0.9
Other services	196.2	204.2	202.5	201.2	5.0	2.5
Government	545.3	538.7	556.6	556.1	10.8	2.0
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
Total nonfarm	4,277.2	4,302.3	4,318.2	4,352.0	74.8	1.7
Mining, logging, and construction	250.0	259.5	258.9	258.4	8.4	3.4
Manufacturing	309.6	317.0	315.0	316.0	6.4	2.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities	907.7	904.2	908.8	918.3	10.6	1.2
Information	91.2	91.7	91.7	92.4	1.2	1.3
Financial activities	370.1	378.9	378.5	383.0	12.9	3.5
Professional and business services	788.5	780.7	786.8	791.0	2.5	0.3
Education and health services	511.5	519.0	524.0	525.6	14.1	2.8
Leisure and hospitality	427.5	433.4	429.1	430.0	2.5	0.6
Other services	137.6	143.8	143.2	143.8	6.2	4.5
Government	483.5	474.1	482.2	493.5	10.0	2.1
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
Total nonfarm	3,413.8	3,447.0	3,461.9	3,474.0	60.2	1.8
Mining and logging	71.6	72.6	72.3	72.9	1.3	1.8
Construction	232.4	247.0	249.3	250.2	17.8	7.7
Manufacturing	235.4	239.5	239.4	239.2	3.8	1.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	692.4	692.0	692.2	697.1	4.7	0.7
Information	33.0	32.1	32.3	32.5	-0.5	-1.5
Financial activities	187.6	192.7	192.1	193.3	5.7	3.0
Professional and business services	564.3	564.3	563.8	563.0	-1.3	-0.2
Education and health services	458.3	468.5	470.8	470.0	11.7	2.6
Leisure and hospitality	357.1	365.7	362.3	362.6	5.5	1.5
Other services	128.0	136.0	133.5	133.3	5.3	4.1
Government	453.7	436.6	453.9	459.9	6.2	1.4
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Total nonfarm	6,276.9	6,270.7	6,285.0	6,334.0	57.1	0.9
Mining and logging	1.9	2.0	1.9	1.9	0.0	0.0
Construction	261.2	259.6	258.3	260.7	-0.5	-0.2
Manufacturing	475.6	467.7	466.3	464.0	-11.6	-2.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	1,095.2	1,089.5	1,095.0	1,105.8	10.6	1.0
Information	201.0	205.2	202.5	201.2	0.2	0.1
Financial activities	314.9	316.5	315.9	319.6	4.7	1.5
Professional and business services	976.2	962.6	963.3	970.9	-5.3	-0.5
Education and health services	1,205.7	1,225.0	1,237.2	1,251.3	45.6	3.8
Leisure and hospitality	773.8	791.8	780.8	782.9	9.1	1.2
Other services	216.2	219.3	218.0	218.3	2.1	1.0
Government	755.2	731.5	745.8	757.4	2.2	0.3
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
Total nonfarm	2,935.4	2,964.6	2,965.5	2,980.7	45.3	1.5
Construction	156.3	166.3	168.1	166.6	10.3	6.6
Manufacturing	99.6	97.7	97.1	97.2	-2.4	-2.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	658.4	654.3	655.6	662.0	3.6	0.5
Information	54.9	54.9	54.6	54.5	-0.4	-0.7
Financial activities	218.9	216.6	216.0	216.4	-2.5	-1.1
Professional and business services	520.8	524.8	522.7	524.7	3.9	0.7
Education and health services	456.4	461.3	463.5	469.0	12.6	2.8
Leisure and hospitality	336.7	345.0	342.0	341.9	5.2	1.5
Other services	115.0	120.0	120.0	121.4	6.4	5.6
Government	317.5	322.8	325.0	326.1	8.6	2.7
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
Total nonfarm	10,155.1	10,217.6	10,220.8	10,287.8	132.7	1.3
Mining, logging, and construction	411.4	409.3	404.5	401.8	-9.6	-2.3
Manufacturing	350.1	348.7	348.4	349.1	-1.0	-0.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities	1,682.1	1,657.6	1,671.4	1,684.6	2.5	0.1
Information	306.3	299.6	293.7	294.2	-12.1	-4.0
Financial activities	829.4	834.7	824.4	820.9	-8.5	-1.0
Professional and business services	1,666.3	1,653.2	1,640.1	1,649.8	-16.5	-1.0
Education and health services	2,245.2	2,311.9	2,345.4	2,383.9	138.7	6.2
Leisure and hospitality	936.3	1,012.7	965.4	955.4	19.1	2.0
Other services	411.2	420.5	411.1	414.5	3.3	0.8
Government	1,316.8	1,269.4	1,316.4	1,333.6	16.8	1.3
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Total nonfarm	3,110.2	3,115.8	3,131.8	3,147.2	37.0	1.2
Mining, logging, and construction	126.8	130.8	129.6	131.1	4.3	3.4
Manufacturing	182.1	181.1	179.8	179.2	-2.9	-1.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	548.1	537.9	538.3	544.0	-4.1	-0.7
Information	53.4	53.2	52.5	52.5	-0.9	-1.7
Financial activities	229.8	232.6	231.0	230.2	0.4	0.2
Professional and business services	501.7	500.4	500.4	501.1	-0.6	-0.1
Education and health services	722.1	725.2	743.1	752.3	30.2	4.2
Leisure and hospitality	275.9	299.9	285.6	280.2	4.3	1.6
Other services	123.9	126.1	123.9	125.0	1.1	0.9
Government	346.4	328.6	347.6	351.6	5.2	1.5
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
Total nonfarm	2,434.9	2,443.1	2,459.7	2,480.0	45.1	1.9
Mining and logging	3.7	3.9	3.9	4.0	0.3	8.1
Construction	171.9	172.6	172.0	171.8	-0.1	-0.1
Manufacturing	148.9	146.5	145.7	145.2	-3.7	-2.5
Trade, transportation, and utilities	473.8	474.7	476.7	481.6	7.8	1.6
Information	41.7	40.8	40.6	40.6	-1.1	-2.6
Financial activities	211.0	212.7	212.9	214.3	3.3	1.6
Professional and business services	389.7	396.8	395.6	396.6	6.9	1.8
Education and health services	406.3	418.5	424.7	431.1	24.8	6.1
Leisure and hospitality	250.8	244.9	244.8	252.8	2.0	0.8
Other services	76.8	76.9	77.7	77.1	0.3	0.4
Government	260.3	254.8	265.1	264.9	4.6	1.8
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
Total nonfarm	2,476.4	2,468.5	2,469.2	2,486.1	9.7	0.4
Mining and logging	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.0	0.0
Construction	127.5	125.8	124.4	124.2	-3.3	-2.6
Manufacturing	150.3	145.7	146.7	146.2	-4.1	-2.7
Trade, transportation, and utilities	349.6	349.8	350.4	353.6	4.0	1.1
Information	140.1	131.6	130.8	130.8	-9.3	-6.6
Financial activities	137.3	136.0	135.7	137.4	0.1	0.1
Professional and business services	507.4	501.3	498.3	503.3	-4.1	-0.8
Education and health services	402.4	410.4	411.0	416.6	14.2	3.5
Leisure and hospitality	254.6	261.7	259.8	257.4	2.8	1.1
Other services	86.3	89.6	89.3	89.6	3.3	3.8
Government	320.5	316.2	322.4	326.6	6.1	1.9
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Total nonfarm	3,385.0	3,388.1	3,396.8	3,417.9	32.9	1.0
Mining, logging, and construction	163.9	167.5	167.0	168.6	4.7	2.9
Manufacturing	57.8	60.0	59.8	59.7	1.9	3.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities	407.2	404.5	403.9	409.6	2.4	0.6
Information	78.9	79.8	79.1	79.0	0.1	0.1
Financial activities	153.2	150.6	149.6	151.1	-2.1	-1.4
Professional and business services	811.3	816.2	813.4	821.2	9.9	1.2
Education and health services	463.8	459.6	467.7	471.3	7.5	1.6
Leisure and hospitality	323.5	338.9	328.5	322.2	-1.3	-0.4
Other services	194.4	202.2	200.1	199.8	5.4	2.8
Government	731.0	708.8	727.7	735.4	4.4	0.6
(1) U.S. data are preliminary for two months after they are first published. (p) Preliminary