2023 Employment Picture

By the Editors of Commercial Property Executive

January 5, 2024

The latest year-over-year comparison, updated monthly.

NUMBERS IN THOUSANDS

1Unemployed total includes a small number of persons whose last job was in the Armed Forces. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

The total number of employed people from December to December 2023 increased by 1.84 percent (1,882,000) people, while the total number of unemployed increased by 10.37 percent (555,000 people).

Year-over year, the largest difference for employment was in Business and financial operations occupations, with an increase of 8.04 percent. Following that was Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations, with a growth of 7.45 percent and Personal Care and service occupations with a growth of 5.26 percent.

The overall unemployment rate total increased .2 percent year-over-year.

—Posted on Jan. 5, 2024

NUMBERS IN THOUSANDS

The total number of employed people from November to November 2023 increased by 2.14 percent (3,400,000 people), while the total number of unemployed people increased by 5.5 percent (304,000 people).

Year-over-year, the largest difference for employment was in Farming, fishing and forestry occupations with an increase of 16.23 percent. Following that was Management, business and financial occupations with a growth of 4.29 percent and Management, professional and related occupations with 3.17 percent.

The overall unemployment rate total increased 0.1 percent year-over-year.

—Posted on Dec. 28, 2023

NUMBERS IN THOUSANDS

The total number of employed people from October to October 2023 increased by 2.14 percent (2,532,000 people), while the total number of unemployed people increased by 8.72 percent (489,000 people).

Year-over-year, the largest difference for employment was in Management, business and financial occupations with an increase of 4.69 percent. Following that was Farming, fishing and forestry occupations with a growth of 3.94 percent and Management, professional and related occupations with 3.58 percent.

The overall unemployment rate total increased 0.2 percent year-over-year.

—Posted on Nov. 29, 2023

NUMBERS IN THOUSANDS

The total number of employed people from September to September 2023 increased by 1.68 percent (2,666,000), while the total number of unemployed people increased by 10.79 percent (589,000 people).

Year-over-year, the largest difference for employment was in Service occupations with an increase of 3.58 percent. Following that was Sales and related occupations with a growth of 3.42 percent and Management, business and financial occupations with 3.32 percent.

The overall unemployment rate total increased 0.3 percent year-over-year.

—Posted on Oct. 31, 2023

NUMBERS IN THOUSANDS

The total number of employed people from August to August 2023 increased by 1.72 percent (2,713,000), while the total number of unemployed people increased by 5.87 percent (367,000 people).

Year-over-year, the largest difference for employment was in Service occupations with an increase of 3.78 percent. Following that was Farming, fishing and forestry occupations with a growth of 3.57 percent and Natural resources, construction and maintenance with 2.67 percent.

The overall unemployment rate total increased 0.1 percent year-over-year.

—Posted on Sep. 29, 2023

NUMBERS IN THOUSANDS

The total number of employed people from February 2022 to February 2023 increased by 1.77 percent (2,771,000 people), while the total number of unemployed people decreased by 0.05 percent (317,000 people).

Year-over-year, the largest difference for employment was in Production occupations with an increase of 4.84 percent. Following that was Service occupations growing 4.39 percent and the Management, business and financial occupations rising 3.45 percent.

For unemployment, the most significant difference was in the Farming, Fishing and Forestry occupations with a decrease of 2.8 percent. Rounding out the top three were the Transportation and material moving occupations going down 1.6 percent and the Production, transportation and material moving occupations dropping 1.0 percent.

The overall unemployment rate total decreased 0.2 percent year-over-year.

—Posted on Mar. 31, 2023

NUMBERS IN THOUSANDS

The total number of employed people from January 2022 to January 2023 increased by 1.98 percent (3,074,000 people), while the total number of unemployed people decreased by 0.12 percent (829,000 people).

Year-over-year, the largest difference for employment was in Management, business and financial occupations with an increase of 4.18 percent. Following that was Service occupations growing 4.39 percent and the Production occupations rising 4.00 percent.

For unemployment, the most significant difference was in the Production occupations with a decrease of 0.43 percent. Rounding out the top three were the Farming, fishing and forestry occupations going down 0.26 percent and the Office and administrative support occupations dropping 0.24 percent.

The overall unemployment rate total decreased 0.5 percent year-over-year.

—Posted on Feb. 28, 2023