April Employment Blog

By Stephen Singer, April 9, 2014

This information was taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Monthly Employment Report.  Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 192,000 in March, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.7 percent. Employment increased in professional and business services, in health care, and in mining and logging.

Incorporating the revisions for January and February, which increased total nonfarm employment by 37,000 on net, monthly job gains have averaged 178,000 over the past 3 months. In the 12 months prior to March, employment growth averaged 183,000 per month.

All of the net job growth in March occurred in the privatesector, which now has exceeded its employment level in December 2007, when the most recent recession began. The private sector lost 8.8 million jobs during the labor market downturn and has gained 8.9 million since the employment low in February 2010. However, government employment is down since the recession began (-535,000), and therefore total nonfarm employment remains below(-422,000) its December 2007 level.

In March, employment in professional and business servicesrose (+57,000) in line with the prior 12-month average. Within the industry, temporary help services added 29,000 jobs in March. Employment growth in temporary help services had averaged 20,000 per month in the prior 12 months.

Health care employment rose by 19,000 in March, with gainsin ambulatory health care services (which includes home health care and outpatient care centers).

Employment in mining and logging rose by 7,000 in March,led by gains in support activities for mining (+5,000).

Employment in food services and drinking places continued to trend up in March (+30,000). This industry has added 323,000 jobs over the year.

Employment continued to trend up in construction in March (+19,000) and is up by 151,000 over the past 12 months.

Employment in other major industries, including manufacturing, wholesale trade, and retail trade, changed little in March.

Turning now to our survey of households, the unemployment rate, at 6.7 percent, was unchanged in March, and the number of unemployed persons remained at 10.5 million. The number of unemployed persons who had been jobless for 27 weeks or more was little changed (3.7 million). These individuals accounted for 35.8 percent of the unemployed.

Both the civilian labor force and total employment increased in March. The labor force participation rate (63.2 percent) and the employment-population ratio (58.9 percent) changed little over the month.

As we have previously reported regional unemployment rates are significant. This month we report unemployment rates by state and major metropolitan area. Of interest is the significant difference in unemployment rates both within a state and between states. Table 1 provides this information for both February 2013 and February 2014.

Table 1 Unemployment Rate by State and Metropolitan Area (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

State/Metropolitan Area	Feb-13	Feb-14
Alabama……………………………	7.2	7.3
Anniston-Oxford…………………..	7.7	8.1
Auburn-Opelika……………………	5.9	5.9
Birmingham-Hoover…………………	6.4	6.5
Decatur………………………….	7.1	7.3
Dothan…………………………..	7.2	7.4
Florence-Muscle Shoals…………….	7.2	7.2
Gadsden………………………….	7.4	7.8
Huntsville……………………….	6.2	6.5
Mobile…………………………..	8.3	8.1
Montgomery……………………….	7.2	7.4
Tuscaloosa……………………….	6.7	6.7
Alaska…………………………….	7.4	7.8
Anchorage………………………..	6.0	6.4
Fairbanks………………………..	6.7	6.7
Arizona……………………………	7.9	7.1
Flagstaff………………………..	8.5	7.6
Lake Havasu City-Kingman…………..	10.0	8.5
Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale……………..	6.9	6.1
Prescott…………………………	8.6	6.9
Tucson…………………………..	7.0	6.3
Yuma…………………………….	23.9	22.9
Arkansas…………………………..	8.2	7.5
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers……..	6.1	5.6
Fort Smith……………………….	8.8	7.4
Hot Springs………………………	8.5	7.7
Jonesboro………………………..	7.6	7.1
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway..	7.3	6.7
Pine Bluff……………………….	10.4	10.2
California…………………………	9.7	8.5
Bakersfield-Delano………………..	13.5	12.5
Chico……………………………	11.3	10.0
El Centro………………………..	23.6	21.0
Fresno…………………………..	14.9	13.5
Hanford-Corcoran………………….	15.6	15.0
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana……	9.4	8.1
Madera-Chowchilla…………………	12.8	12.0
Merced…………………………..	17.7	16.1
Modesto………………………….	14.6	13.3
Napa…………………………….	7.2	6.1
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura……….	8.2	7.3
Redding………………………….	12.8	11.0
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario……	10.8	9.4
Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville…	9.4	8.2
Salinas………………………….	14.3	13.1
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos………	8.1	7.0
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont………	7.1	6.0
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara……..	7.6	6.3
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles………..	7.1	6.2
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta……	7.8	7.1
Santa Cruz-Watsonville…………….	12.0	10.9
Santa Rosa-Petaluma……………….	7.6	6.2
Stockton…………………………	14.4	13.1
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta……	7.8	7.1
Santa Cruz-Watsonville…………….	12.0	10.9
Santa Rosa-Petaluma……………….	7.6	6.2
Stockton…………………………	14.4	13.1
Vallejo-Fairfield…………………	9.3	7.9
Visalia-Porterville……………….	15.7	15.1
Yuba City………………………..	17.3	16.0
Colorado…………………………..	7.6	6.7
Boulder………………………….	5.8	5.2
Colorado Springs………………….	8.7	8.0
Denver-Aurora-Broomfield…………..	7.4	6.5
Fort Collins-Loveland……………..	6.3	5.5
Grand Junction……………………	9.3	8.1
Greeley………………………….	8.4	6.7
Pueblo…………………………..	10.7	9.6
Connecticut………………………..	8.4	7.4
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk………..	7.9	7.0
Danbury………………………….	6.9	6.1
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford..	8.4	7.4
New Haven………………………..	8.8	7.6
Norwich-New London………………..	8.6	7.8
Waterbury………………………..	11.4	10.1
Delaware…………………………..	7.5	6.4
Dover……………………………	7.6	6.6
District of Columbia………………..	8.7	8.1
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria…….	5.7	5.1
Florida……………………………	7.8	6.3
Cape Coral-Fort Myers……………..	7.6	6.1
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin….	5.9	5.0
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach….	8.0	6.4
Gainesville………………………	5.8	5.1
Jacksonville……………………..	7.5	6.1
Lakeland-Winter Haven……………..	8.6	7.2
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach…	7.9	6.2
Naples-Marco Island……………….	7.0	5.6
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota………	7.5	6.1
Ocala……………………………	8.9	7.5
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford………….	7.6	6.0
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville………	8.5	7.0
Palm Coast………………………. Panama City-Lynn Haven- Panama City Beach……………….	11.0 8.1	9.4 6.4
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent…………	7.8	6.4
Port St. Lucie……………………	9.3	7.7
Punta Gorda………………………	7.7	6.2
Sebastian-Vero Beach………………	9.3	7.7
Tallahassee………………………	6.6	5.6
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater…….	7.9	6.5
Georgia……………………………	8.7	7.2
Albany…………………………..	9.3	8.0
Athens-Clarke County………………	6.2	5.1
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta……..	8.4	6.9
Augusta-Richmond County……………	8.4	6.7
Brunswick………………………..	9.6	8.5
Columbus…………………………	8.9	7.8
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta……..	8.4	6.9
Augusta-Richmond County……………	8.4	6.7
Brunswick………………………..	9.6	8.5
Columbus…………………………	8.9	7.8
Dalton…………………………..	11.1	9.1
Gainesville………………………	6.9	5.6
Hinesville-Fort Stewart……………	8.9	8.0
Macon……………………………	9.1	7.5
Rome…………………………….	9.4	7.5
Savannah…………………………	7.9	6.6
Valdosta…………………………	8.3	7.0
Warner Robins…………………….	7.3	6.4
Hawaii…………………………….	4.8	4.6
Honolulu…………………………	4.3	4.1
Idaho……………………………..	7.5	6.2
Boise City-Nampa………………….	7.0	5.8
Coeur d’Alene…………………….	9.3	7.7
Idaho Falls………………………	6.4	5.2
Lewiston…………………………	7.3	6.1
Pocatello………………………..	7.5	5.8
Illinois…………………………..	10.0	9.4
Bloomington-Normal………………..	7.7	8.0
Champaign-Urbana………………….	8.8	8.7
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville………….	9.8	9.0
Danville…………………………	11.9	12.8
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island……….	7.9	7.9
Decatur………………………….	12.8	12.7
Kankakee-Bradley………………….	12.8	12.1
Peoria…………………………..	10.0	10.1
Rockford…………………………	12.9	12.1
Springfield………………………	8.9	8.6
Indiana……………………………	8.6	6.9
Anderson…………………………	10.7	8.1
Bloomington………………………	7.6	6.7
Columbus…………………………	7.0	5.2
Elkhart-Goshen……………………	8.8	6.2
Evansville……………………….	7.6	6.4
Fort Wayne……………………….	8.2	6.2
Indianapolis-Carmel……………….	7.9	6.2
Kokomo…………………………..	9.4	7.3
Lafayette………………………..	7.4	5.9
Michigan City-La Porte…………….	11.1	9.4
Muncie…………………………..	9.5	7.8
South Bend-Mishawaka………………	9.7	7.6
Terre Haute………………………	11.0	9.0
Iowa………………………………	5.5	5.3
Ames…………………………….	3.7	3.5
Cedar Rapids……………………..	5.6	5.5
Des Moines-West Des Moines…………	5.4	5.0
Dubuque………………………….	5.3	5.6
Iowa City………………………..	3.6	3.6
Sioux City……………………….	5.7	5.0
Waterloo-Cedar Falls………………	5.3	5.1
Kansas…………………………….	5.9	5.5
Sioux City……………………….	5.7	5.0
Waterloo-Cedar Falls………………	5.3	5.1
Kansas…………………………….	5.9	5.5
Lawrence…………………………	5.4	4.9
Manhattan………………………..	5.5	5.4
Topeka…………………………..	6.8	6.2
Wichita………………………….	6.7	6.3
Kentucky…………………………..	9.1	9.0
Bowling Green…………………….	7.7	7.8
Elizabethtown…………………….	8.1	8.4
Lexington-Fayette…………………	7.3	7.4
Louisville-Jefferson County………..	8.6	8.1
Owensboro………………………..	7.8	7.9
Louisiana………………………….	6.2	4.2
Alexandria……………………….	6.2	4.3
Baton Rouge………………………	5.9	3.9
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux…………	4.2	2.8
Lafayette………………………..	4.5	3.1
Lake Charles……………………..	5.5	3.8
Monroe…………………………..	6.7	4.6
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner………..	6.1	4.2
Shreveport-Bossier City……………	6.8	4.6
Maine……………………………..	8.0	7.0
Bangor…………………………..	7.4	6.4
Lewiston-Auburn…………………..	7.5	6.3
Portland-South Portland-Biddeford…..	6.5	5.5
Maryland…………………………..	7.1	6.0
Baltimore-Towson………………….	7.3	6.1
Cumberland……………………….	8.5	7.5
Hagerstown-Martinsburg…………….	8.1	7.3
Salisbury………………………..	9.7	8.4
Massachusetts………………………	7.4	6.8
Barnstable Town…………………..	9.7	9.1
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy……………	6.4	5.9
Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner……….	9.8	9.0
New Bedford………………………	12.4	11.2
Pittsfield……………………….	7.7	7.9
Springfield………………………	8.4	7.9
Worcester………………………..	7.9	7.3
Michigan…………………………..	9.4	8.5
Ann Arbor………………………..	5.6	5.3
Battle Creek……………………..	8.1	7.3
Bay City…………………………	10.2	9.4
Detroit-Warren-Livonia…………….	10.0	9.0
Flint……………………………	10.2	9.4
Grand Rapids-Wyoming………………	7.1	6.2
Holland-Grand Haven……………….	7.2	6.2
Jackson………………………….	9.3	8.5
Kalamazoo-Portage…………………	8.1	7.3
Lansing-East Lansing………………	7.8	6.6
Monroe…………………………..	8.7	7.6
Muskegon-Norton Shores…………….	9.8	8.3
Niles-Benton Harbor……………….	10.0	8.8
Saginaw-Saginaw Township North……..	9.8	8.9
Monroe…………………………..	8.7	7.6
Muskegon-Norton Shores…………….	9.8	8.3
Niles-Benton Harbor……………….	10.0	8.8
Saginaw-Saginaw Township North……..	9.8	8.9
Minnesota………………………….	5.9	5.5
Duluth…………………………..	7.2	7.0
Mankato-North Mankato……………..	4.8	4.4
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington……	5.4	5.0
Rochester………………………..	5.0	4.8
St. Cloud………………………..	6.4	6.0
Mississippi………………………..	9.4	8.0
Gulfport-Biloxi…………………..	8.9	7.4
Hattiesburg………………………	8.2	6.5
Jackson………………………….	7.5	6.2
Pascagoula……………………….	10.1	8.3
Missouri…………………………..	7.4	7.6
Cape Girardeau-Jackson…………….	6.6	7.6
Columbia…………………………	4.9	5.2
Jefferson City……………………	5.9	6.9
Joplin…………………………..	6.0	6.1
Kansas City………………………	7.2	6.9
St. Joseph……………………….	5.9	6.4
St. Louis (1)…………………….	8.0	8.2
Springfield………………………	6.2	6.1
Montana……………………………	6.6	5.8
Billings…………………………	4.7	4.2
Great Falls………………………	5.9	5.1
Missoula…………………………	6.4	5.6
Nebraska…………………………..	4.4	4.1
Lincoln………………………….	4.0	3.7
Omaha-Council Bluffs………………	4.8	4.5
Nevada…………………………….	10.5	8.7
Carson City………………………	11.4	9.9
Las Vegas-Paradise………………..	10.5	8.6
Reno-Sparks………………………	10.8	8.8
New Hampshire………………………	5.9	5.2
Manchester……………………….	5.8	4.9
Portsmouth……………………….	5.4	4.5
Rochester-Dover…………………..	5.9	5.0
New Jersey…………………………	9.3	7.8
Atlantic City-Hammonton……………	14.4	13.1
Ocean City……………………….	18.8	16.1
Trenton-Ewing…………………….	7.5	6.1
Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton……….	14.4	12.6
New Mexico…………………………	7.3	7.3
Albuquerque………………………	7.5	7.5
Farmington……………………….	7.2	7.2
Las Cruces……………………….	8.0	8.1
Santa Fe…………………………	6.0	6.0
New York…………………………..	8.6	7.7
Santa Fe…………………………	6.0	6.0
New York…………………………..	8.6	7.7
Albany-Schenectady-Troy……………	7.5	6.5
Binghamton……………………….	9.2	8.3
Buffalo-Niagara Falls……………..	8.8	7.6
Elmira…………………………..	9.8	8.4
Glens Falls………………………	9.6	8.3
Ithaca…………………………..	5.5	4.9
Kingston………………………… New York-Northern New Jersey- Long Island………………….	9.2 8.7	7.8 7.7
New York City………………….	9.2	8.6
Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown……	8.1	6.9
Rochester………………………..	8.3	7.2
Syracuse…………………………	8.9	7.6
Utica-Rome……………………….	9.4	8.2
North Carolina……………………..	9.1	6.6
Asheville………………………..	7.6	5.2
Burlington……………………….	8.8	6.4
Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill……….	9.0	6.4
Durham-Chapel Hill………………..	6.8	5.0
Fayetteville……………………..	9.4	7.5
Goldsboro………………………..	8.9	6.6
Greensboro-High Point……………..	9.4	6.9
Greenville……………………….	8.8	6.3
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton…………..	10.2	7.0
Jacksonville……………………..	8.4	6.6
Raleigh-Cary……………………..	7.1	5.1
Rocky Mount………………………	13.0	9.6
Wilmington……………………….	9.8	7.1
Winston-Salem…………………….	8.3	6.1
North Dakota……………………….	3.7	3.5
Bismarck…………………………	3.4	3.5
Fargo……………………………	4.0	3.6
Grand Forks………………………	4.6	4.2
Ohio………………………………	8.1	7.0
Akron……………………………	7.9	6.6
Canton-Massillon………………….	8.3	7.1
Cincinnati-Middletown……………..	7.7	6.5
Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor……………	8.2	8.1
Columbus…………………………	6.6	5.5
Dayton…………………………..	8.3	6.9
Lima…………………………….	8.8	7.0
Mansfield………………………..	9.4	7.6
Sandusky…………………………	9.2	7.7
Springfield………………………	7.8	6.2
Steubenville-Weirton………………	10.8	9.1
Toledo…………………………..	9.4	7.4
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman…………	9.1	7.7
Oklahoma…………………………..	5.7	5.3
Lawton…………………………..	6.9	6.2
Oklahoma City…………………….	5.2	5.1
Tulsa……………………………	6.0	5.5
Oregon…………………………….	9.0	7.8
Bend…………………………….	12.0	9.9
Corvallis………………………..	6.3	5.5
Eugene-Springfield………………..	8.7	7.5
Medford………………………….	11.1	9.7
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro……….	8.3	7.0
Salem……………………………	9.6	8.0
Pennsylvania……………………….	8.2	6.7
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton…………	8.8	7.0
Altoona………………………….	7.7	6.5
Erie…………………………….	8.1	7.1
Harrisburg-Carlisle……………….	7.3	5.6
Johnstown………………………..	9.6	7.8
Lancaster………………………..	7.0	5.3
Lebanon………………………….	6.8	5.1
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington……..	8.5	6.9
Pittsburgh……………………….	7.6	6.3
Reading………………………….	8.3	6.5
Scranton–Wilkes-Barre…………….	10.1	8.3
State College…………………….	5.9	4.9
Williamsport……………………..	8.9	7.4
York-Hanover……………………..	7.9	6.3
Rhode Island……………………….	10.2	9.4
Providence-Fall River-Warwick………	10.5	9.7
South Carolina……………………..	8.5	5.4
Anderson………………………… Charleston-North Charleston- Summerville…………………….	7.6 6.7	4.5 4.5
Columbia…………………………	7.2	4.7
Florence…………………………	9.5	6.2
Greenville-Mauldin-Easley………….	6.7	4.3
Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway	11.1	7.2
Spartanburg………………………	8.1	4.9
Sumter…………………………..	9.5	5.9
South Dakota……………………….	4.6	4.4
Rapid City……………………….	4.8	4.3
Sioux Falls………………………	4.1	3.9
Tennessee………………………….	8.6	7.3
Chattanooga………………………	7.7	6.8
Clarksville………………………	9.1	8.3
Cleveland………………………..	8.3	6.9
Jackson………………………….	8.7	7.3
Johnson City……………………..	8.0	7.1
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol………….	7.9	6.9
Knoxville………………………..	7.1	6.1
Memphis………………………….	9.5	8.4
Morristown………………………. Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro– Franklin……………………….	10.6 6.7	8.7 5.6
Texas……………………………..	5.9
Abilene………………………….	5.2	4.6
Amarillo…………………………	4.6	4.2
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos……….	5.5	4.8
Beaumont-Port Arthur………………	10.2	9.1
Brownsville-Harlingen……………..	10.7	9.8
College Station-Bryan……………..	5.2	4.5
Corpus Christi……………………	6.1	5.6
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington………..	6.5	5.8
El Paso………………………….	9.3	8.1
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown…………	6.4	5.7
Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood…………..	7.3	6.7
Laredo…………………………..	7.1	6.4
Longview…………………………	5.8	5.3
Lubbock………………………….	5.1	4.4
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission…………..	11.2	10.3
Midland………………………….	3.3	3.0
Odessa…………………………..	4.0	3.7
San Angelo……………………….	5.2	4.6
San Antonio-New Braunfels………….	6.2	5.5
Sherman-Denison…………………..	7.1	5.9
Texarkana………………………..	7.3	7.2
Tyler……………………………	6.7	6.1
Victoria…………………………	5.4	4.7
Waco…………………………….	6.2	5.6
Wichita Falls…………………….	6.2	5.5
Utah………………………………	5.0	4.4
Logan……………………………	4.1	3.5
Ogden-Clearfield………………….	5.1	4.5
Provo-Orem……………………….	4.9	4.2
St. George……………………….	6.2	5.0
Salt Lake City……………………	4.7	4.2
Vermont……………………………	4.8	4.0
Burlington-South Burlington………..	3.7	3.3
Virginia…………………………..	6.0	5.3
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford…..	7.3	5.3
Charlottesville…………………..	4.9	4.3
Danville…………………………	8.3	7.2
Harrisonburg……………………..	5.6	4.9
Lynchburg………………………..	6.7	5.9
Richmond…………………………	6.4	5.5
Roanoke………………………….	6.3	5.5
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News…	6.5	5.7
Winchester……………………….	6.0	5.3
Washington…………………………	8.0	7.3
Bellingham……………………….	8.1	7.6
Bremerton-Silverdale………………	7.9	7.1
Kennewick-Pasco-Richland…………..	10.5	9.6
Longview…………………………	11.8	10.2
Mount Vernon-Anacortes…………….	9.9	8.8
Olympia………………………….	8.1	7.4
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue……………	6.4	6.0
Spokane………………………….	9.6	8.7
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee…………..	9.5	8.9
Yakima…………………………..	11.5	11.4
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue……………	6.4	6.0
Spokane………………………….	9.6	8.7
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee…………..	9.5	8.9
Yakima…………………………..	11.5	11.4
West Virginia………………………	7.9	7.3
Charleston……………………….	7.3	6.9
Huntington-Ashland………………..	7.7	7.3
Morgantown……………………….	5.4	5.0
Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna………..	8.1	7.1
Wheeling…………………………	8.3	7.9
Wisconsin………………………….	7.9	7.0
Appleton…………………………	7.2	6.3
Eau Claire……………………….	7.3	6.4
Fond du Lac………………………	7.5	7.0
Green Bay………………………..	7.4	6.5
Janesville……………………….	9.4	8.1
La Crosse………………………..	6.3	5.7
Madison………………………….	5.7	4.9
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis………	8.0	7.2
Oshkosh-Neenah……………………	7.0	6.3
Racine…………………………..	9.7	8.7
Sheboygan………………………..	7.3	6.1
Wausau…………………………..	8.0	6.9
Wyoming……………………………	5.5	4.8
Casper…………………………..	4.7	4.5
Cheyenne…………………………	6.0	5.3
Puerto Rico………………………..	13.8	14.5
Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastian…….	15.7	16.3
Fajardo………………………….	15.4	16.4
Guayama………………………….	21.9	22.3
Mayaguez…………………………	16.8	17.1
Ponce……………………………	14.0	15.1
San German-Cabo Rojo………………	17.4	17.7
San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo…………..	12.5	13.2
Yauco……………………………	17.4	18.3