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News Release Information

17-1163-BOS
Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (617) 565-4141

Boston Area Employment — July 2017

Total nonfarm employment in the Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, Mass.-N.H. Metropolitan New England City and Town Area stood at 2,779,200 in July 2017, up 57,000 from one year ago, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Deborah A. Brown noted that nonfarm employment rose 2.1 percent locally from July a year ago. During the same period, the national job count increased 1.5 percent.(See chart 1 and table 1; Technical note at end of release contains metropolitan area definitions. All data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year analysis is used throughout.)

 

The Boston-Cambridge-Nashua area includes 10 metropolitan divisions¾separately identifiable employment centers within the larger metropolitan area. The Boston-Cambridge-Newton metropolitan division, which made up 68 percent of the workforce, gained 44,400 jobs from July 2016 to July 2017. Eight other divisions for which data are published also added jobs over the year. The Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem metropolitan division was the only division that lost jobs over the year.

 

Industry employment

Education and health services, the largest industry in the Boston area, had the largest local employment gain, adding 22,900 jobs from July 2016 to July 2017. The 4.1-percent rate of local job growth in this supersector outpaced the 2.3-percent gain nationwide.

Professional and business services had the next largest annual employment gain in the Boston area from July 2016, adding 10,700 jobs. The 2.2-percent rate of job growth in Boston’s professional and business services supersector lagged the 2.9-percent nationwide gain.

The leisure and hospitality and financial activities supersectors added 7,400 and 4,800 jobs respectively. The rates of local job growth in both supersectors outpaced their respective national rates of job gains.  

 

Three other supersectors in the Boston area gained at least 1,000 jobs over the year—other services (+3,800), trade, transportation, and utilities (+3,600) and government (+1,800). The 3.6-percent local rate of job growth in other services exceeded the nationwide gain of 1.4 percent. The local rates of job growth in trade, transportation, and utilities and government were similar to those for the nation.

 

Employment in the twelve Largest Metropolitan Areas

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua was 1 of the nation’s 12 largest metropolitan statistical areas in July 2017. All 12 areas had over-the-year job growth during the period, with 10 areas exceeding the national increase of 1.5 percent. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell had the fastest rate of job growth, up 3.2 percent, followed by Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (+3.1 percent) and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach (+3.0 percent). Chicago-Naperville-Elgin had the slowest rate of job growth, up 0.7 percent. (See chart 3 and table 2.)

 

The New York-Newark-Jersey City area added the largest number of jobs over the year, 176,400, followed by Dallas (+108,200). Chicago had the smallest employment gain over the year, adding 33,100 jobs. Annual jobs gains in the remaining nine metropolitan areas ranged from 85,300 in Atlanta to 42,100 in Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale.

Over the year, education and health services added the most jobs in seven areas: Boston, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, Miami, New York, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria.

Metropolitan area employment data for August 2017 are scheduled to be released on Friday, September 15, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).


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 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 2012 version of the North American Industry Classification System.

Method of estimation. The employment data are estimated using a "link relative" technique in which a ratio (link relative) of current-month employment to that of the previous month is computed from a sample of establishments reporting for both months. The estimates of employment for the current month are obtained by multiplying the estimates for the previous month by these ratios. Small-domain models are used as the official estimators for approximately 39 percent of CES published series which have insufficient sample for direct sample-based estimates.

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.

Reliability of the estimates. The estimates presented in this release are based on sample survey and administrative data 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 are also 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 special 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 are available for metropolitan areas or metropolitan divisions upon request. Measures of sampling error for states down to the supersector level is available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/sae/additional-resources/reliability-of-state-and-area-estimates.htm. Information on recent benchmark revisions is available online at www.bls.gov/sae/benchmark2017.pdf.

Area definitions. The substate area data published in this release reflect the delineations issued by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget July 15, 2015. A detailed list of geographic definitions is available at www.bls.gov/lau/lausmsa.htm.

Areas in the six New England states are defined as Metropolitan New England City and Town Areas (NECTAs), while areas in other states are county-based and identified as metropolitan areas and metropolitan divisions.  However, for comparative purposes, the Boston NECTA and its divisions have been referred to as a metropolitan area and metropolitan divisions. 

The Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, Mass.-N.H. Metropolitan New England City and Town Area (NECTA) includes 10 NECTA divisions--subdivisions of the larger NECTA which function as distinct social, economic, and cultural areas within the larger region. The NECTA divisions that compose the Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, Mass.-N.H. NECTA include:  Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA; Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, Mass.; Framingham, Mass.; Haverhill- Newburyport-Amesbury town, Mass.-N.H.; Lawrence-Methuen town-Salem, Mass.-N.H.; Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, Mass.-N.H.; Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, Mass.; Nashua, N.H.-Mass.; Peabody-Salem-Beverly, Mass.; Taunton-Middleborough-Norton, Mass.; and select cities and towns within.  

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, U.S. and Boston metropolitan area, not seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands)
Area and Industry
 
July
2016
May
2017
June
2017
July
2017(p)
Change from July
2016 to July 2017
Net changePercent change

U.S.

 

Total nonfarm

144,203146,784147,407146,3682,1651.5

Mining and logging

672703716723517.6

Construction

6,9716,9387,1037,1571862.7

Manufacturing

12,43912,37512,49312,502630.5

Trade, transportation, and utilities

27,24927,26127,41827,3781290.5

Information

2,7922,7202,7382,745-47-1.7

Financial activities

8,3808,4148,5038,5281481.8

Professional and business services

20,27120,67520,84120,8575862.9

Educational and health services

22,29923,12322,89222,8065072.3

Leisure and hospitality

16,37916,15116,60916,7293502.1

Other services

5,7515,7735,8325,831801.4

Government

21,00022,65122,26221,1121120.5

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH

 

Total nonfarm

2,722.22,756.52,789.72,779.257.02.1

Mining, logging, and construction

114.6111.5114.0116.51.91.7

Manufacturing

188.7185.1188.0188.4-0.3-0.2

Trade, transportation, and utilities

424.4423.2431.2428.03.60.8

Information

79.278.379.679.60.40.5

Financial activities

190.4191.3193.5195.24.82.5

Professional and business services

478.7480.8486.4489.410.72.2

Educational and health services

564.3586.9587.6587.222.94.1

Leisure and hospitality

282.3273.4283.5289.77.42.6

Other services

105.6103.9107.8109.43.83.6

Government

294.0322.1318.1295.81.80.6

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA division

 

Total nonfarm

1,832.51,854.81,878.71,876.944.42.4

Mining, logging, and construction

69.865.967.268.0-1.8-2.6

Manufacturing

80.078.680.480.60.60.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities

251.8251.2256.1254.62.81.1

Information

59.058.960.059.90.91.5

Financial activities

157.8159.6161.2162.74.93.1

Professional and business services

358.5360.5364.2366.37.82.2

Educational and health services

402.2420.1421.1421.719.54.8

Leisure and hospitality

193.7187.9194.2199.55.83.0

Other services

69.568.771.472.63.14.5

Government

190.2203.4202.9191.00.80.4
Table 2. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry supersector, United States and 12 largest metropolitan areas, not seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands)
AreaJul
2016
May
2017
Jun
2017
Jul
2017(p)
Jul 2016 to
Jul 2017(p)
Net
change
Percent
change

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

 

Total nonfarm

2,657.52,745.72,759.52,742.885.33.2

Mining and logging

1.71.81.81.80.15.9

Construction

117.8122.4122.5121.94.13.5

Manufacturing

162.3162.4163.2162.2-0.1-0.1

Trade, transportation, and utilities

590.1597.7597.6596.76.61.1

Information

96.199.899.399.73.63.7

Financial activities

167.3173.0174.8173.66.33.8

Professional and business services

487.9513.3523.4521.633.76.9

Education and health services

329.6343.9340.9340.210.63.2

Leisure and hospitality

291.0299.4306.1306.315.35.3

Other services

99.798.6101.4102.32.62.6

Government

314.0333.4328.5316.52.50.8

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH (NECTA)

 

Total nonfarm

2,722.22,756.52,789.72,779.257.02.1

Mining, logging, and construction

114.6111.5114.0116.51.91.7

Manufacturing

188.7185.1188.0188.4-0.3-0.2

Trade, transportation, and utilities

424.4423.2431.2428.03.60.8

Information

79.278.379.679.60.40.5

Financial activities

190.4191.3193.5195.24.82.5

Professional and business services

478.7480.8486.4489.410.72.2

Education and health services

564.3586.9587.6587.222.94.1

Leisure and hospitality

282.3273.4283.5289.77.42.6

Other services

105.6103.9107.8109.43.83.6

Government

294.0322.1318.1295.81.80.6

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

 

Total nonfarm

4,686.14,701.44,745.64,719.233.10.7

Mining and logging

1.61.61.61.60.00.0

Construction

182.1175.1180.6182.20.10.1

Manufacturing

416.5413.3418.2417.10.60.1

Trade, transportation, and utilities

945.4939.1947.8946.51.10.1

Information

80.783.584.684.53.84.7

Financial activities

302.2308.4311.5311.69.43.1

Professional and business services

829.5823.7836.4838.38.81.1

Education and health services

705.2728.2720.1709.84.60.7

Leisure and hospitality

489.6478.0494.3493.03.40.7

Other services

195.9195.4198.0198.52.61.3

Government

537.4555.1552.5536.1-1.3-0.2

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

 

Total nonfarm

3,503.03,612.13,624.03,611.2108.23.1

Mining, logging, and construction

206.7205.4207.6209.22.51.2

Manufacturing

266.2266.3268.8270.64.41.7

Trade, transportation, and utilities

749.0762.2764.8765.116.12.1

Information

83.281.181.782.0-1.2-1.4

Financial activities

283.7292.0293.6295.011.34.0

Professional and business services

582.3604.8609.1611.829.55.1

Education and health services

429.2443.9440.3438.99.72.3

Leisure and hospitality

372.0390.2397.1396.024.06.5

Other services

124.2126.7128.2128.13.93.1

Government

406.5439.5432.8414.58.02.0

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX

 

Total nonfarm

2,988.73,048.23,061.23,042.954.21.8

Mining and logging

86.786.986.387.30.60.7

Construction

218.4216.2215.1210.1-8.3-3.8

Manufacturing

221.8230.6234.1234.712.95.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities

608.1601.3603.2603.5-4.6-0.8

Information

33.132.032.232.4-0.7-2.1

Financial activities

156.2156.2156.2157.91.71.1

Professional and business services

470.4478.0486.1487.016.63.5

Education and health services

378.9391.3390.5391.913.03.4

Leisure and hospitality

317.5326.0330.7328.911.43.6

Other services

110.4110.8113.2112.11.71.5

Government

387.2418.9413.6397.19.92.6

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

 

Total nonfarm

5,919.86,042.36,040.25,993.073.21.2

Mining and logging

4.13.94.04.0-0.1-2.4

Construction

233.2239.6243.8250.617.47.5

Manufacturing

517.1509.2510.9510.3-6.8-1.3

Trade, transportation, and utilities

1,088.01,077.91,079.41,082.9-5.1-0.5

Information

250.2257.5256.0253.12.91.2

Financial activities

340.0337.8337.9339.4-0.6-0.2

Professional and business services

906.7909.0914.3909.02.30.3

Education and health services

950.51,001.0983.3975.424.92.6

Leisure and hospitality

730.1736.5742.8747.016.92.3

Other services

204.0211.0210.0210.56.53.2

Government

695.9758.9757.8710.814.92.1

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

 

Total nonfarm

2,543.62,656.32,625.92,620.476.83.0

Mining and logging

0.70.70.70.70.00.0

Construction

123.3128.4128.3130.06.75.4

Manufacturing

87.288.187.087.0-0.2-0.2

Trade, transportation, and utilities

587.9598.8600.2598.410.51.8

Information

49.449.149.049.0-0.4-0.8

Financial activities

176.4174.9175.6176.3-0.1-0.1

Professional and business services

422.8437.7436.5432.19.32.2

Education and health services

374.9397.1397.5396.721.85.8

Leisure and hospitality

312.4336.4330.7329.116.75.3

Other services

124.2128.9130.0131.27.05.6

Government

284.4316.2290.4289.95.51.9

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

 

Total nonfarm

9,560.19,678.79,775.69,736.5176.41.8

Mining, logging, and construction

398.4393.2399.2403.45.01.3

Manufacturing

368.2363.9366.7365.2-3.0-0.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities

1,713.71,719.71,735.11,719.35.60.3

Information

293.6284.9286.1284.4-9.2-3.1

Financial activities

783.4774.1787.2793.610.21.3

Professional and business services

1,536.71,543.01,571.41,575.839.12.5

Education and health services

1,817.21,932.41,910.71,893.876.64.2

Leisure and hospitality

946.6928.5976.1984.738.14.0

Other services

419.7423.0430.7429.29.52.3

Government

1,282.61,316.01,312.41,287.14.50.4

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

 

Total nonfarm

2,857.92,926.32,941.62,912.554.61.9

Mining, logging, and construction

117.5118.4120.8120.93.42.9

Manufacturing

180.1176.8178.4178.6-1.5-0.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities

520.0524.1528.3525.55.51.1

Information

47.246.247.147.1-0.1-0.2

Financial activities

214.1214.4216.4217.13.01.4

Professional and business services

464.3473.0479.9478.213.93.0

Education and health services

609.1639.6627.7628.119.03.1

Leisure and hospitality

270.9271.2283.1284.313.44.9

Other services

120.8119.8122.0120.2-0.6-0.5

Government

313.9342.8337.9312.5-1.4-0.4

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ

 

Total nonfarm

1,926.82,009.91,982.71,968.942.12.2

Mining and logging

3.33.23.23.2-0.1-3.0

Construction

107.3109.0109.0111.13.83.5

Manufacturing

120.1121.6123.3123.53.42.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities

383.5386.9387.0388.14.61.2

Information

36.636.435.334.8-1.8-4.9

Financial activities

175.2181.7181.2180.65.43.1

Professional and business services

337.3340.2340.9340.43.10.9

Education and health services

286.1300.1297.2294.58.42.9

Leisure and hospitality

207.7230.3226.3222.514.87.1

Other services

63.961.861.361.4-2.5-3.9

Government

205.8238.7218.0208.83.01.5

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA

 

Total nonfarm

2,346.12,380.62,392.72,388.542.41.8

Mining and logging

1.01.01.01.00.00.0

Construction

115.9118.6121.0124.88.97.7

Manufacturing

133.7131.4132.0133.0-0.7-0.5

Trade, transportation, and utilities

376.7375.5376.8378.72.00.5

Information

101.399.9102.3103.52.22.2

Financial activities

143.0145.4147.1148.15.13.6

Professional and business services

476.0470.8473.9472.9-3.1-0.7

Education and health services

334.9349.6347.3345.010.13.0

Leisure and hospitality

271.2273.3279.3280.49.23.4

Other services

86.587.488.589.22.73.1

Government

305.9327.7323.5311.96.02.0

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

 

Total nonfarm

3,238.43,285.03,312.63,321.583.12.6

Mining, logging, and construction

159.1158.5159.8163.84.73.0

Manufacturing

54.253.654.354.30.10.2

Trade, transportation, and utilities

406.2409.3414.5412.96.71.6

Information

74.970.871.671.6-3.3-4.4

Financial activities

159.3157.2158.6159.1-0.2-0.1

Professional and business services

745.9753.4758.2761.916.02.1

Education and health services

424.8443.2443.4447.722.95.4

Leisure and hospitality

333.6337.6347.9350.216.65.0

Other services

197.5194.5198.1199.62.11.1

Government

682.9706.9706.2700.417.52.6

Footnotes
(1) U.S. data are preliminary for two months after they are first published.
(p) Preliminary
 

 

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, August 30, 2017