2024 Employment Picture
The latest year-over-year comparison by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, updated monthly.
Numbers in thousands
From December 2023 to December 2024, the total number of jobs increased by 540,000, marking a 0.33 percent upswing in total hires. Within the same timeframe, the total number of unemployed grew by 545,000, marking a 9.22 percent uptick in job losses.
Over the same period, the largest year-over-year job decreases were for farming, fishing and forestry occupations, which saw a 15.6 percent drop in hires. Construction and extraction occupations saw roughly a third of that sectors’ declines, with a 5.3 percent slump in total occupations. Production occupations saw the third-largest change, with the total number of employed moving down by 5.1 percent over the same period.
Year-over-year, the overall unemployment rate grew by 0.3 percent.
—Posted on January 24, 2025
From November 2023 to November 2024, the total number of jobs decreased by 693,000, marking a 0.42 percent decline in total hires. Within the same timeframe, the total number of unemployed grew by 881,000, marking a 15.1 percent uptick in job losses.
Over the same period, the largest year-over-year job decreases were for farming, fishing and forestry occupations, which saw a 17.9 percent drop in hires. Production occupations came in second with a 6.6 percent slump in total occupations. Sales and related jobs saw the third-largest change, with the total number of employed moving down by 5.5 percent over the same period.
Year-over-year, the overall unemployment rate grew by 0.5 percent.
—Posted on December 26, 2024
From October 2023 to October 2024, the total number of jobs increased by 262,000, marking a 0.16 percent jump in total hires. Within the same timeframe, the total number of unemployed grew by 533,000 an 8.7 percent uptick in job losses.
Over the same period, the largest year-over-year job decreases were for production occupations, which saw a roughly 8.6 percent increase in hires. Construction and extraction jobs trended in the opposite direction, seeing a 4.8 percent decline in occupations. Transportation and material moving jobs saw the third-largest change, with the total number of employed moving up by 3.8 percent over the year.
Year-over-year, the overall unemployment rate grew by 0.3 percent.
—Posted on November 25, 2024
From August 2023 to August 2024, the total number of jobs decreased by 79,000, a 0.05 percent slump in total hires. Within the same timeframe, the total number of unemployed grew by 792,000 a 11.9 percent uptick in job losses.
Over the same period, the largest year-over-year job increases were for occupations in the farming, fishing and forestry industries, which saw a roughly 11.5 percent increase in hires. Production jobs trended dramatically in the opposite direction, seeing an 8.7 percent decline in occupations. Transportation and material moving jobs saw the third largest change, with the total number of employed decreasing by a near even 3 percent over the year.
Year-over-year, the overall unemployment rate grew by 0.5 percent.
—Posted on September 27, 2024
From July 2023 to July 2024, the total number of jobs increased by 56,000, a 0.03 percent increase in hires. Within the same time frame, the total number of unemployed grew by 1,313,000, a 20.6 percent uptick in job losses.
Over the same period, the largest year-over-year job increases were for occupations in the construction and extraction industries, which saw a near even 5 percent increase in hires. Production jobs trended in the opposite direction, seeing a 4.7 percent decline in occupations. Sales and related occupations saw the third largest change, with the total number of employed decreasing by 3.2 percent year-over-year.
From July 2023 to July 2024, the total number of jobs increased by 56,000, a 0.03 percent increase in hires. Within the same time frame, the total number of unemployed grew by 1,313,000, a 20.6 percent uptick in job losses.
Year-over-year, the overall unemployment rate grew by 0.7 percent.
—Posted on August 29, 2024
From June 2023 to June 2024, the total number of jobs increased by 215,000, a 0.13 percent increase in hires. Within the same time frame, the total number of unemployed grew by 882,000, a 13.8 percent uptick in job losses.
Over the same period, the largest year-over-year job increases were for occupations in the farming, fishing and forestry industries, which saw a 4 percent increase in hires. Installation, maintenance and repair occupations trended in the opposite direction, seeing a 3.7 percent decline in occupations. Production occupations had the third largest change, with the total number of employed decreasing by 1.7 percent, year-over-year.
Year-over-year, the overall unemployment rate grew by 0.5 percent.
—Posted on July 26, 2024
From May 2023 to May 2024, the total number of employed increased by 339,000, a change of 0.21 percent in hirings. Over the same period, the total of unemployed went up by 535,000, a 9.4 percent increase in job losses.
Within this timeframe, the largest year-over-year job changes were for occupations in the farming, fishing and forestry occupations, which decreased by 6.9 percent. Office and administrative support positions saw a downturn by 3.4 percent. The third biggest change was in service occupations, which saw a net gain of 1.5 percent job growth.
Year-over-year, the total unemployment rate grew by 0.3 percent.
—Posted on June 24, 2024
From April 2023 to April 2024, the total number of employed people increased by 0.32 percent, a total of 515,000 people. Over the same period, the total number of unemployed went up by 14.5 percent, an uptick of 515,000.
Within this period, the largest year-over-year employment growth was recorded for occupations in the transportation and material moving industries, an increase of 3.8 percent. Installation, maintenance and repair occupations came in second, with an increase of 3.6 percent, the same as March. In third place was a decrease in office and administrative support occupations, which saw a 3.3. percent downturn.
Year-over-year, the unemployment rate increased by 0.4 percent.
—Posted on May 24, 2024
From March 2023 to March 2024, the total number of employed people increased by 0.38 percent, a total of 615,000 people. Over the same period, the total number of unemployed went up by 9.2 percent, an increase of 561,000 people.
Like last month, the largest year-over-year employment growth was recorded for occupations in the farming, fishing and forestry industries, an increase of 8.9 percent. Installation, maintenance and repair occupations came in second, with an increase of 3.06 percent, moving up a rank from February. In third place were jobs in natural resources, construction and maintenance, which saw an uptick of 2.4 percent.
Year-over-year, the unemployment rate increased by 0.3 percent.
—Posted on April 26, 2024
The total number of employed people from February to February 2024 increased by 0.4 percent, amounting to a total of 602,000 people, while the total number of unemployed increased by 7.8 percent, a sum of 505,000 people.
Year-over year, the largest difference for employment was for farming, fishing and forestry occupations, which saw an increase of 3.6 percent. Office and administrative support occupations went in the opposite direction, a decline of 3.2 percent. In third, once again on the increase, installation, maintenance and repair occupations grew by 2.8 percent.
The overall unemployment rate total increased by .3 percent year-over-year.
—Posted on March 22, 2024
The total number of employed people from January to January 2024 increased by 0.6 percent, amounting to a total of 958,000 people, while the total number of unemployed increased by 6.3 percent, 400,000 people.
Year-over year, the largest difference for employment was in Installation, maintenance and repair occupations, which saw an increase of 5.16 percent. On the flipside, following that was Production occupations, which declined by 3.28 percent. In third, once again increasing, Professional and related occupations grew by 3.06 percent.
The overall unemployment rate total increased .2 percent year-over-year.
—Posted on Jan. 26, 2024
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