2019 Employment Picture

Numbers in thousands

The total number of employed people from December 2018 to December 2019 increased by 1.3 percent (2,023,000 people), while the total number of unemployed people dropped by 8.7 percent (526,000 people).

Year-over-year, the largest difference for employment was in the Transportation and Material Moving occupations with an increase of 6.3 percent. The Management, Business and Financial occupations followed with a rise of 4.9 percent, while the Management, Professional and Related occupations gained 3.2 percent.

For unemployment, the most significant decrease was in the Installation, Maintenance and Repair occupations with a decline of 40.0 percent. Rounding out the top three were the Professional and Related occupations going down 18.8 percent and the Office and Administrative Support occupations dropping 17.0 percent. The overall unemployment rate total 8.1 percent year-over-year.

—Posted on Jan. 24, 2020

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Numbers in thousands

The total number of employed people from November 2018 to November 2019 increased by 1.2 percent (1,930,000 people), while the total number of unemployed people dropped by 3.7 percent (209,000 people). Year-over-year, the largest difference for employment was in the Management, Business and Financial occupations with an increase of 4.7 percent. The Management, Professional and Related occupations followed with a rise of 3.9 percent, while the Professional and Related occupations gained 3.4 percent.

For unemployment, the most significant decrease was in the Installation, Maintenance and Repair occupations with a decline of 43.2 percent. Rounding out the top three were the Professional and Related occupations going down 18.7 percent and the Sales and Related occupations dropping 14.4 percent. The overall unemployment rate total dropped 5.7 percent year-over-year.

—Posted on Dec. 16, 2019

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Numbers in thousands

The total number of employed people from October 2018 to October 2019 increased by 1.3 percent (2,115,000 people), while the total number of unemployed people dropped by 4.5 percent (261,000 people).

Year-over-year, the largest gain in employment was in the Management, Business and Financial occupations with an increase of 5.2 percent. The Management, Professional and Related occupations followed with a rise of 3.3 percent, while the Professional and Related occupations gained 1.9 percent.

For unemployment, the most significant decrease was in the Transportation and Material Moving occupations with a decline of 18.8 percent. Rounding out the top three were the Production, Transportation and Material Moving occupations (down 13.4 percent) and the Farming, Fishing and Forestry occupations (down 12.7 percent). The overall unemployment rate total dropped 5.7 percent year-over-year.

—Posted on Nov. 18, 2019

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Numbers in thousands

The total number of employed people from September 2018 to September 2019 increased by 1.5 percent (2,287,000 people), while the total number of unemployed people dropped by 5.2 percent (301,000 people). Year-over-year, the largest difference for employment was in the Management, Business and Financial occupations with an increase of 4.4 percent. The Management, Professional and Related occupations followed with a rise of 3.5 percent, while the Professional and Related occupations gained 2.8 percent.

For unemployment, the most significant decrease was in the Construction and Extraction occupations with a decline of 27.6 percent. Rounding out the top three were the Management, Business and Financial occupations going down 18.8 percent and the Natural Resources, Construction and Maintenance occupations dropping 16 percent. The overall unemployment rate total dropped 8.3 percent year-over-year.

—Posted on Oct. 25, 2019

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Numbers in thousands

The total number of employed people from August 2018 to August 2019 increased by 1.5 percent (2,277,000 people), while the total number of unemployed people dropped by 2.6 percent (167,000 people). Year-over-year, the largest difference for employment was in the Management, Business and Financial occupations with an increase of 4.1 percent. The Management, Professional and Related occupations followed with a rise of 3.4 percent, while the Professional and Related occupations gained 2.9 percent.

For unemployment, the most significant decrease was in the Farming, Fishing and Forestry occupations with a decline of 45.1 percent. Rounding out the top three were the Service occupations (down 10.6 percent) and the Professional and Related occupations (down 8.2 percent). The overall unemployment rate total dropped 2.6 percent year-over-year.

—Posted on Sept. 30, 2019

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Numbers in thousands

The total number of employed people from July 2018 to July 2019 increased again by 0.9 percent (1,381,000 people), while the total number of unemployed people decreased by 2.6 percent (174,000 people). Year-over-year, the largest difference for employment was in the Management, Business and Financial occupations with an increase of 4.4 percent. The Management, Professional and Related occupations followed with a rise of 3.2 percent, while the Professional and Related occupations gained 2.3 percent.

For unemployment, the most significant decrease was in the Farming, Fishing and Forestry occupations with a decline of 37.1 percent. Rounding out the top three were the Sales and Related occupations going down 21 percent and the Service occupations decreasing 12.5 percent. The overall unemployment rate total dropped 2.6 percent year-over-year.

—Posted on Aug. 22, 2019

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Numbers in thousands

The total number of employed people from June 2018 to June 2019 increased by 0.9 percent (1,363,000 people), while the total number of unemployed people decreased by 7.6 percent (520,000 people). Year-over-year, the largest difference for employment was in the Management, Business and Financial occupations with an increase of 6.4 percent. The Farming, Fishing and Forestry occupations followed with a rise of 3.5 percent, while the Management, Professional and Related occupations gained 3.4 percent.

For unemployment, the most significant decrease was in the Sales and Related occupations with a decline of 27.9 percent. Rounding out the top three were the Construction and Extraction occupations going down 24 percent and the Natural Resources, Construction and Maintenance occupations decreasing 18.8 percent. The overall unemployment rate stood at 3.8 percent in June 2019, contracting by 40 basis points year-over-year.

—Posted on July 24, 2019

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Numbers in thousands

The total number of employed people from April 2018 to April 2019 increased by 0.7 percent (1,143,000 people), while the total number of unemployed people decreased by 4.4 percent (253,000 people). Year-over-year, the largest difference for employment was in the Farming, Fishing and Forestry occupations with an increase of 25.9 percent. The Transportation and Material Moving occupations followed with a rise of 3.2 percent, while the Management, Business and Financial occupations followed with a rise of 3.5 percent, while the Construction and Extraction occupations gained 2.9 percent.

For unemployment, the most significant decrease was in the Construction and Extraction occupations with a decline of 33.3 percent. Rounding out the top three were the Production occupations falling by 30.3 percent and the Natural Resources, Construction and Maintenance occupations decreasing 18.2 percent. The overall unemployment rate stood at 3.4 percent in April 2019, contracting by 20 basis points year-over-year.

—Posted on June 20, 2019

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Numbers in thousands

A total 1,362,000 people were employed from April 2018 to April 2019, accounting for a 90-basis-point increase year-over-year, while the total number of unemployed people decreased by 9.2 percent (545,000 people). On an annual basis, the largest difference for employment was in the Farming, Fishing and Forestry occupations with an increase of 23.6 percent. The Management, Business and Financial occupations followed with a rise of 3.5 percent, while the Construction and Extraction occupations gained 3.2 percent.

For unemployment, the most significant decrease was in the Construction and Extraction occupations with a decline of 31.6 percent. Rounding out the top three were the Natural Resources, Construction and Maintenance occupations going down 21.7 percent and the Management, Business and Financial occupations decreasing 18.5 percent. The overall unemployment rate total dropped 10.8 percent year-over-year.

—Posted on May 23, 2019

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Numbers in thousands

The total number of employed people from March 2018 to March 2019 increased by 1 percent (1,564,000 people) while the total number of unemployed people decreased by 4.3 percent (289,000 people). Year-over-year, the largest difference for employment was in the Farming, Fishing and Forestry occupations with an increase of 13.9 percent. The Construction and Extraction occupations followed with a rise of 5 percent, while the Management, Business and Financial occupations gained 3.5 percent.

For unemployment, the most significant decrease was in the Construction and Extraction occupations with a decline of 29.4 percent. Rounding out the top three were the Installation, Maintenance and Repair occupations decreasing 21.3 percent and the Natural Resources, Construction and Maintenance occupations going down 17.2 percent. The overall unemployment rate total dropped 4.9 percent year-over-year.

—Posted on Apr. 22, 2019

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Numbers in thousands

The total number of employed people from February 2018 to February 2019 increased by 1.1 percent (1,764,000 people) while the total number of unemployed people decreased by 6.6 percent (466,000 people). Year-over-year, the largest difference for employment was in the Management, Business and Financial occupations with an increase of 3.7 percent. The Construction and Extraction occupations followed with a rise of 3.1 percent, while the Production occupations gained 3 percent.

For unemployment, the most significant decrease was in the Construction and Extraction occupations with a decline of 23.4 percent. Rounding out the top three were the Office and Administrative Support occupations decreasing 18.7 percent and the Transportation and Material Moving occupations going down 15.7 percent. The overall unemployment rate total dropped 6.8 percent year-over-year.

—Posted on Mar. 26, 2019

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Numbers in thousands

The total number of employed people from January 2018 to January 2019 increased by 1.4 percent (2,116,000 people), while the total number of unemployed people fell by 70 basis points (49,000 people). Year-over-year, the largest difference for employment was in the Transportation and Material Moving occupations with an increase of 7.7 percent. The Management, Business and Financial occupations followed with a rise of 4.9 percent, while the Production, Transportation and Material Moving occupations gained 3.5 percent. For unemployment, the most significant decrease was in the Transportation and Material Moving occupations, which experienced a decline of 23.3 percent. Rounding out the top three were the Production, Transportation and Material Moving occupations decreasing 17.1 percent and the Installation, Maintenance and Repair occupations going down 13.4 percent. The overall unemployment rate total dropped 2.2 percent year-over-year.

—Posted on Feb. 13, 2019