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News Release Information

14-1924-DAL
Tuesday, November 04, 2014

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

Houston Area Employment — September 2014

Total nonfarm employment in the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown Metropolitan Statistical Area stood at 2,921,700 in September 2014, up 119,400 from one year earlier, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. From September 2013 to September 2014, local nonfarm employment rose 4.3 percent, well above the national rate of 2.0 percent. Regional Commissioner Stanley W. Suchman noted that among the 12 largest metropolitan areas in the country, Houston ranked first in the rate of job growth and second in the number of jobs added. (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

Education and health services registered the largest annual job gain among Houston’s supersectors, up 21,300 from September 2013. The local gain in education and health services continued the sector’s uninterrupted annual gains registered every month since February 1991. The sector’s 6.3-percent local growth rate was more than three times the 1.9-percent national growth rate. Local sector gains were strongest in the health care industry, including ambulatory health care services and hospitals. (See table 1 and chart 2.)

The professional and business services supersector added 19,300 jobs from September 2013 to September 2014. Annual growth was particularly strong in the architectural, engineering, and related services industry, as well as the employment services industry. Over the year, local employment in professional and business services rose 4.5 percent compared to a national gain of 3.8 percent.

Trade, transportation, and utilities–the area’s largest supersector–registered an annual job increase of 16,200 during the period. The growth was led by a gain of 7,400 jobs in the transportation and utilities industry, an increase of 5.6 percent. The wholesale and retail trade industries, which accounted for three-fourths of the sector’s total employment, rose 1.8 and 2.2 percent, respectively. The total supersector expanded 2.9 percent locally and 1.9 percent nationally.

Government employment rose 14,600 over the year–the 23rd consecutive month of annual increases following a 20-month period of declines. Gains within Houston’s local government jurisdiction accounted for nearly all of the total government rise, with over half of the gain occurring in local educational services. State government employment in Houston was little changed over the year while employment in federal government declined slightly. Locally, total government employment rose 4.0 percent compared to 0.3 percent nationally.

The construction supersector in the Houston area gained 13,500 jobs over the year, led by construction of buildings, up 8,400 jobs or 17.0 percent. Houston’s total construction sector rose 7.1 percent compared to a national gain of 3.9 percent.

The local mining and logging supersector added 9,800 jobs since September 2013, a 9.0-percent gain compared to the national increase of 6.0 percent.

Houston’s leisure and hospitality supersector expanded 9,400 jobs during the 12-month period, with most of the gain occurring in its largest industry, food services and drinking places. Since September 2013, leisure and hospitality employment rose 3.4 percent locally and 2.6 percent nationally.

Employment in local manufacturing advanced 8,500 since September 2013, marking 48 consecutive months of over-the-year gains. Non-durable manufacturing, which accounts for about 30 percent of total local manufacturing employment, was responsible for more than 80 percent (7,100) of the supersector’s current annual gain. Locally, manufacturing increased 3.4 percent over the year, while nationally, it rose 1.3 percent.

Two additional supersectors recorded employment advances of at least 1,000 from September a year ago: other services (3,600) and financial activities (2,600). Local growth rates in both supersectors (3.6 and 1.8 percent, respectively), were above their national rates.

Employment in the 12 largest metropolitan areas

Houston was one of the nation’s 12 largest metropolitan statistical areas in September 2014. All of these areas experienced over-the-year job growth during the period, with 5 exceeding the national average of 2.0 percent. (See chart 3 and table 2.) The fastest rate of job growth was registered in Houston, up 4.3 percent, followed by Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, up 3.2 percent. The slowest rate of expansion, 0.3 percent, was experienced in both Detroit-Warren-Livonia and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria.

New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island added the largest number of jobs from the previous September, up 130,500. Three other areas added more than 100,000 jobs over the year–Houston, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, and Dallas. Five areas had employment increases ranging from 69,200 to 45,000. Detroit registered the smallest 12-month increase, up 4,700 during the period.

Professional and business services led employment growth in 5 of the 12 metropolitan areas–Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, and San Francisco-Oakland-Freemont. (See table 2.) Education and health services recorded the largest gains in three–areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, Houston, and New York.

Over the year, manufacturing recorded the largest loss of jobs in three areas–Chicago, Dallas, and Los Angeles. The Boston, Houston, and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach areas experienced no annual job loss in any supersector.

Additional information

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request: voice phone: 202-691-5200; Federal Relay Service: 1-800-877-8339.


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.

Employment definition. 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 2007 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 the 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 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 are available for state CES data at the total nonfarm and supersector level and for metropolitan area CES data. Information on recent benchmark revisions for states is available on the BLS Web site at www.bls.gov/sae/.

Area definitions. The substate area data published in this release reflect the standards and definitions established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget on December 1, 2009. A detailed list of geographic definitions is available at www.bls.gov/lau/lausmsa.htm.

The Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown Metropolitan Statistical Area includes Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto, and Waller Counties in Texas.

Table 1. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry supersector, U.S. and Houston metropolitan area, not seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands)
Area and Industry
 
Sep.
2013
Jul.
2014
Aug.
2014
Sep.
2014(p)
Change from Sep.
2013 to Sep. 2014
NumberPercent

U.S.

 

Total nonfarm

137,069138,669139,051139,7522,6832.0

Mining and logging

886931935939536.0

Construction

6,0816,3166,3506,3162353.9

Manufacturing

12,06512,21812,24912,2221571.3

Trade, transportation, and utilities

25,90826,44426,43226,4115031.9

Information

2,6652,6892,6972,685200.8

Financial activities

7,8978,0318,0317,993961.2

Professional and business services

18,77319,36219,46019,4927193.8

Education and health services

21,08621,16321,22921,4974111.9

Leisure and hospitality

14,49815,33715,30014,8743762.6

Other services

5,4635,5745,5595,511480.9

Government

21,74720,60420,80921,812650.3

Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area

 

Total nonfarm

2,802.32,892.72,898.12,921.7119.44.3

Mining and logging

108.3116.4117.6118.19.89.0

Construction

189.6195.7201.4203.113.57.1

Manufacturing

252.9261.5262.1261.48.53.4

Trade, transportation, and utilities

567.0585.4585.4583.216.22.9

Information

32.433.333.233.00.61.9

Financial activities

144.1146.5147.5146.72.61.8

Professional and business services

430.0446.1447.4449.319.34.5

Education and health services

336.4348.5354.5357.721.36.3

Leisure and hospitality

273.4291.3287.5282.89.43.4

Other services

99.0103.5102.6102.63.63.6

Government

369.2364.5358.9383.814.64.0

(p) preliminary

Table 2. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry supersector, 12 largest metropolitan areas, not seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands)
Area and Industry
 
Sep.
2013
Jul.
2014
Aug.
2014
Sep.
2014(p)
Change from
Sep. 2013 to Sep. 2014
NumberPercent

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA

 

Total nonfarm

2,416.72,464.72,472.62,468.651.92.1

Mining and logging

1.21.21.21.20.00.0

Construction

94.697.798.098.53.94.1

Manufacturing

149.6153.7154.3154.24.63.1

Trade, transportation, and utilities

536.3551.0550.2550.714.42.7

Information

84.987.486.986.21.31.5

Financial activities

157.0162.3161.0160.53.52.2

Professional and business services

439.5458.2457.8452.713.23.0

Education and health services

295.4291.8295.9298.12.70.9

Leisure and hospitality

247.9264.4261.0256.58.63.5

Other services

93.792.293.191.4-2.3-2.5

Government

316.6304.8313.2318.62.00.6

Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH

 

Total nonfarm

2,568.12,610.82,592.22,613.445.31.8

Mining and logging

0.60.60.60.60.00.0

Construction

94.496.596.295.00.60.6

Manufacturing

193.4195.2195.1193.90.50.3

Trade, transportation, and utilities

408.2418.9405.5416.28.02.0

Information

74.379.479.879.65.37.1

Financial activities

172.3176.1176.2174.01.71.0

Professional and business services

437.2450.9451.3448.511.32.6

Education and health services

536.5543.8541.4549.112.62.3

Leisure and hospitality

251.0265.0266.8254.63.61.4

Other services

98.5104.7103.999.61.11.1

Government

301.7279.7275.4302.30.60.2

Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL-IN-WI

 

Total nonfarm

4,473.64,505.74,511.14,518.645.01.0

Mining and logging

1.51.41.41.4-0.1-6.7

Construction

159.7167.0167.7166.16.44.0

Manufacturing

409.3407.8408.7405.8-3.5-0.9

Trade, transportation, and utilities

897.1903.0903.7909.212.11.3

Information

79.580.980.679.80.30.4

Financial activities

290.5291.7290.6288.6-1.9-0.7

Professional and business services

780.1794.5799.1800.019.92.6

Education and health services

678.3673.7675.3680.82.50.4

Leisure and hospitality

436.1449.0451.2439.93.80.9

Other services

191.9194.5193.5193.41.50.8

Government

549.6542.2539.3553.64.00.7

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

 

Total nonfarm

3,118.93,202.83,214.33,219.1100.23.2

Mining, logging, and construction

180.2191.2193.3192.712.56.9

Manufacturing

258.5258.6258.5255.9-2.6-1.0

Trade, transportation, and utilities

643.1664.3666.6666.323.23.6

Information

79.380.579.779.30.00.0

Financial activities

255.8256.3258.5257.01.20.5

Professional and business services

491.5525.4530.2526.535.07.1

Education and health services

386.5389.9390.1392.45.91.5

Leisure and hospitality

320.8337.1334.5332.912.13.8

Other services

112.5115.1115.0114.92.42.1

Government

390.7384.4387.9401.210.52.7

Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI

 

Total nonfarm

1,875.21,865.11,866.81,879.94.70.3

Mining, logging, and construction

61.664.565.666.75.18.3

Manufacturing

233.0230.8233.3235.52.51.1

Trade, transportation, and utilities

347.9354.2353.3352.34.41.3

Information

26.827.427.527.20.41.5

Financial activities

102.198.198.196.8-5.3-5.2

Professional and business services

362.0359.3365.8369.07.01.9

Education and health services

296.1297.4294.0294.4-1.7-0.6

Leisure and hospitality

180.7185.7182.6177.4-3.3-1.8

Other services

77.776.576.376.4-1.3-1.7

Government

187.3171.2170.3184.2-3.1-1.7

Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX

 

Total nonfarm

2,802.32,892.72,898.12,921.7119.44.3

Mining and logging

108.3116.4117.6118.19.89.0

Construction

189.6195.7201.4203.113.57.1

Manufacturing

252.9261.5262.1261.48.53.4

Trade, transportation, and utilities

567.0585.4585.4583.216.22.9

Information

32.433.333.233.00.61.9

Financial activities

144.1146.5147.5146.72.61.8

Professional and business services

430.0446.1447.4449.319.34.5

Education and health services

336.4348.5354.5357.721.36.3

Leisure and hospitality

273.4291.3287.5282.89.43.4

Other services

99.0103.5102.6102.63.63.6

Government

369.2364.5358.9383.814.64.0

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA

 

Total nonfarm

5,577.15,622.85,639.15,679.1102.01.8

Mining and logging

5.25.55.65.60.47.7

Construction

197.0207.8210.2214.417.48.8

Manufacturing

525.6511.0510.1508.6-17.0-3.2

Trade, transportation, and utilities

1,030.31,041.71,041.51,044.013.71.3

Information

226.5229.0236.5235.89.34.1

Financial activities

323.4321.2322.4321.3-2.1-0.6

Professional and business services

859.1887.9892.4897.638.54.5

Education and health services

901.6909.8914.8923.922.32.5

Leisure and hospitality

633.8650.3649.2647.013.22.1

Other services

191.7196.5196.6195.03.31.7

Government

682.9662.1659.8685.93.00.4

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL

 

Total nonfarm

2,346.32,379.52,402.72,415.569.22.9

Mining and logging

0.60.60.60.60.00.0

Construction

96.7101.0102.9104.67.98.2

Manufacturing

78.078.478.980.12.12.7

Trade, transportation, and utilities

546.7563.9564.6567.020.33.7

Information

46.146.546.746.70.61.3

Financial activities

165.8169.3168.8169.13.32.0

Professional and business services

371.5382.9384.7384.412.93.5

Education and health services

346.6349.3350.2354.17.52.2

Leisure and hospitality

280.0291.7288.8287.67.62.7

Other services

110.7115.6115.0114.94.23.8

Government

303.6280.3301.5306.42.80.9

New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA

 

Total nonfarm

8,710.18,873.88,839.98,840.6130.51.5

Mining, logging, and construction

333.1334.8333.5332.2-0.9-0.3

Manufacturing

357.6354.3356.6356.0-1.6-0.4

Trade, transportation, and utilities

1,608.51,632.91,633.41,643.334.82.2

Information

277.8275.4276.5271.7-6.1-2.2

Financial activities

738.5747.8747.8741.73.20.4

Professional and business services

1,397.91,430.21,436.21,430.232.32.3

Education and health services

1,608.81,636.71,631.91,658.149.33.1

Leisure and hospitality

801.6854.6847.6818.016.42.0

Other services

380.6390.7388.9385.04.41.2

Government

1,205.71,216.41,187.51,204.4-1.3-0.1

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

 

Total nonfarm

2,751.82,763.92,752.22,765.814.00.5

Mining, logging, and construction

105.8115.3114.7113.17.36.9

Manufacturing

180.0179.8179.3179.5-0.5-0.3

Trade, transportation, and utilities

507.1512.5512.7512.35.21.0

Information

47.046.246.245.9-1.1-2.3

Financial activities

202.8206.4206.5204.41.60.8

Professional and business services

437.5447.9444.9443.66.11.4

Education and health services

573.0571.2567.3576.93.90.7

Leisure and hospitality

245.8256.3254.0243.9-1.9-0.8

Other services

120.8120.7120.4120.90.10.1

Government

332.0307.6306.2325.3-6.7-2.0

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

 

Total nonfarm

2,114.62,160.72,166.12,175.560.92.9

Mining and logging

1.31.21.21.2-0.1-7.7

Construction

96.9103.1104.9104.47.57.7

Manufacturing

117.4118.5118.1118.30.90.8

Trade, transportation, and utilities

345.0352.2351.7353.78.72.5

Information

73.476.977.276.63.24.4

Financial activities

126.3127.3127.1126.0-0.3-0.2

Professional and business services

420.4436.3436.3440.520.14.8

Education and health services

315.1321.9321.8324.29.12.9

Leisure and hospitality

244.6251.7254.4252.27.63.1

Other services

79.980.380.980.20.30.4

Government

294.3291.3292.5298.23.91.3

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

 

Total nonfarm

3,080.43,108.03,081.63,091.110.70.3

Mining, logging, and construction

149.2150.5151.8150.71.51.0

Manufacturing

47.945.846.445.5-2.4-5.0

Trade, transportation, and utilities

387.5397.5394.7392.65.11.3

Information

75.674.073.573.1-2.5-3.3

Financial activities

151.1156.8156.7156.25.13.4

Professional and business services

703.5713.3708.5700.9-2.6-0.4

Education and health services

396.7390.6385.5393.5-3.2-0.8

Leisure and hospitality

294.2312.9309.4302.78.52.9

Other services

189.5193.6192.9190.91.40.7

Government

685.2673.0662.2685.0-0.20.0

(p) preliminary

 

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, November 04, 2014