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For Release: Wednesday, May 31, 2017
SOUTHEAST INFORMATION OFFICE: Atlanta, Ga.
Technical information: (404) 893-4222 BLSInfoAtlanta@bls.gov
Media contact:
(404) 893-4220
17-692-ATL
www.bls.gov/regions/southeast
Atlanta Area Employment – April 2017
Local Rate of Employment Growth Above the National Average
Total nonfarm employment for the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Ga. Metropolitan Statistical Area stood
at 2,739,500 in April 2017, up 87,200, or 3.3 percent, over the year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported today. Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that the Atlanta area has had over-the-year
employment gains of 75,000 or more since January 2016. (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
In the Atlanta metropolitan area, the professional and business services industry had the largest employment
gain from April 2016 to April 2017, up 27,500 or 5.7 percent. Nationwide, employment in professional and
business services rose 2.9 percent from the previous April. (See chart 2.)
Trade, transportation, and utilities employment increased by 12,800 since last April, the second-largest gain
in the Atlanta area. The 2.2-percent rate of local job growth for this supersector was greater than the 0.7percent national gain.
Two other supersectors in the Atlanta area gained at least 10,000 jobs since last April. The area’s leisure and
hospitality supersector gained 11,700 jobs, up 4.1 percent; nationwide, employment in this supersector rose
1.8 percent over the year. Education and health services added 10,200 jobs in the local area. The 3.1-percent
rate of local job growth exceeded the national gain of 2.2 percent.
Six of the seven remaining supersectors had over-the-year job gains ranging from 7,600 to 1,000 in April
2017.
Employment in the 12 largest metropolitan areas
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell was 1 of the nation’s 12 largest metropolitan statistical areas in April 2017.
All 12 areas had over-the-year job growth during the period, with the rates of job growth in 7 areas
exceeding the national increase of 1.4 percent. Atlanta had the fastest rate of job growth, 3.3 percent,
followed by Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington at 3.0 percent. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin had the slowest rate of
job growth, up 0.3 percent. (See chart 3 and table 2.)
2
The Dallas area added the largest number of jobs over the year, 104,600, followed by Atlanta (+87,200) and
New York-Newark-Jersey City (+83,100). Chicago had the smallest employment gain over the year, adding
13,800 jobs, followed by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, which added 38,000 jobs.
Over the year, education and health services added the most jobs in seven areas: Chicago, Houston-The
Woodlands-Sugar Land, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach,
New York, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, and San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward. Manufacturing lost
the most jobs over the year in three areas: Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, New York, and Philadelphia. Atlanta
and San Francisco had no annual job losses in any supersector.
Metropolitan area employment data for May 2017 are scheduled to be released on Friday, June 16,
2017.
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.
Definitions. Employment data refer to persons on establishment payrolls who receive pay for any part of
the pay period which 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 2012 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 approximately 39 percent of CES published series which have insufficient
sample for direct sample-based estimates.
3
Annual revisions. Employment estimates are adjusted annually to a complete count of jobs, called
benchmarks, derived principally from tax reports which 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 survey and
administrative data 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 are also 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 special 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 for state CES data at the supersector level are
available on the BLS Web site at www.bls.gov/sae/790stderr.htm. Information on recent benchmark
revisions for states is available at www.bls.gov/sae/.
Area definitions. The substate area data published in this release reflect the delineations issued by the U.S.
Office of Management and Budget on July 15, 2015. A detailed list of the geographic definitions is available
at www.bls.gov/lau/lausmsa.htm
The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Ga. Metropolitan Statistical Area includes the counties of Barrow,
Bartow, Butts, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth,
Fulton, Gwinnett, Haralson, Heard, Henry, Jasper, Lamar, Meriwether, Morgan, Newton, Paulding, Pickens,
Pike, Rockdale, Spalding, and Walton in Georgia.
Additional information
More complete information on the technical procedures used to develop these estimates and additional data
appear in Employment and Earnings, which is available online at www.bls.gov/opub/ee/home.htm. Industry
employment data for states and metropolitan areas from the Current Employment Statistics program are also
available in the above mentioned news releases and from the Internet at www.bls.gov/sae/.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice
phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.
4
Table 1. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry supersector, United States and the Atlanta metropolitan
area, not seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands), April 2017
Area and Industry
United States
Total nonfarm................................................
Mining and logging ...................................
Construction .............................................
Manufacturing...........................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ............
Information ...............................................
Financial activities ....................................
Professional and business services .........
Education and health services .................
Leisure and hospitality..............................
Other services ..........................................
Government..............................................
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Total nonfarm................................................
Mining and logging ...................................
Construction .............................................
Manufacturing...........................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ............
Information ...............................................
Financial activities ....................................
Professional and business services .........
Education and health services .................
Leisure and hospitality..............................
Other services ..........................................
Government..............................................
Apr
2016
Feb
2017
Mar
2017
Apr
2017(p)
Apr
2016 to Apr 2017(p)
Net change
Percent
change
143,894
669
6,609
12,299
26,956
2,784
8,208
19,970
22,679
15,470
5,672
22,578
144,292
672
6,479
12,300
27,002
2,745
8,338
20,216
23,077
15,167
5,673
22,623
144,953
683
6,580
12,326
27,037
2,734
8,356
20,339
23,113
15,397
5,696
22,692
145,979
693
6,769
12,333
27,142
2,729
8,383
20,556
23,176
15,745
5,730
22,723
2,085
24
160
34
186
-55
175
586
497
275
58
145
1.4
3.6
2.4
0.3
0.7
-2.0
2.1
2.9
2.2
1.8
1.0
0.6
2,652.3
1.7
113.2
161.9
584.4
96.3
164.8
486.4
332.6
283.8
97.6
329.6
2,716.2
1.8
118.5
163.6
595.4
98.6
171.4
506.2
342.6
286.9
96.8
334.4
2,730.3
1.8
121.0
162.8
597.1
98.2
172.2
511.4
342.4
291.1
97.1
335.2
2,739.5
1.8
120.0
162.9
597.2
98.2
172.4
513.9
342.8
295.5
99.9
334.9
87.2
0.1
6.8
1.0
12.8
1.9
7.6
27.5
10.2
11.7
2.3
5.3
3.3
5.9
6.0
0.6
2.2
2.0
4.6
5.7
3.1
4.1
2.4
1.6
Footnotes(p) Preliminary
Note: None of the statistics herein are seasonally adjusted.
5
Table 2. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry supersector, 12 largest metropolitan areas, not
seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands)
Area and Industry
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Total nonfarm................................................
Mining and logging ...................................
Construction .............................................
Manufacturing...........................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ............
Information ...............................................
Financial activities ....................................
Professional and business services .........
Education and health services .................
Leisure and hospitality..............................
Other services ..........................................
Government..............................................
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
Total nonfarm................................................
Mining, logging, and construction.............
Manufacturing...........................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ............
Information ...............................................
Financial activities ....................................
Professional and business services .........
Education and health services .................
Leisure and hospitality..............................
Other services ..........................................
Government..............................................
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
Total nonfarm................................................
Mining and logging ...................................
Construction .............................................
Manufacturing...........................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ............
Information ...............................................
Financial activities ....................................
Professional and business services .........
Education and health services .................
Leisure and hospitality..............................
Other services ..........................................
Government..............................................
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
Total nonfarm................................................
Mining, logging, and construction.............
Manufacturing...........................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ............
Information ...............................................
Financial activities ....................................
Professional and business services .........
Education and health services .................
Leisure and hospitality..............................
Other services ..........................................
Government..............................................
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
Total nonfarm................................................
Mining and logging ...................................
Apr
2016
Feb
2017
Mar
2017
Apr
2017(p)
Apr
2016 to Apr 2017(p)
Net change
Percent
change
2,652.3
1.7
113.2
161.9
584.4
96.3
164.8
486.4
332.6
283.8
97.6
329.6
2,716.2
1.8
118.5
163.6
595.4
98.6
171.4
506.2
342.6
286.9
96.8
334.4
2,730.3
1.8
121.0
162.8
597.1
98.2
172.2
511.4
342.4
291.1
97.1
335.2
2,739.5
1.8
120.0
162.9
597.2
98.2
172.4
513.9
342.8
295.5
99.9
334.9
87.2
0.1
6.8
1.0
12.8
1.9
7.6
27.5
10.2
11.7
2.3
5.3
3.3
5.9
6.0
0.6
2.2
2.0
4.6
5.7
3.1
4.1
2.4
1.6
2,696.2
106.8
186.8
417.1
77.7
184.4
465.7
576.8
262.3
100.6
318.0
2,688.5
99.6
185.3
415.6
78.5
189.0
466.8
586.1
247.8
100.0
319.8
2,703.1
100.1
184.9
416.0
78.4
189.2
468.8
589.5
252.6
100.9
322.7
2,739.0
107.1
184.8
418.8
78.6
189.9
481.2
591.9
261.7
102.7
322.3
42.8
0.3
-2.0
1.7
0.9
5.5
15.5
15.1
-0.6
2.1
4.3
1.6
0.3
-1.1
0.4
1.2
3.0
3.3
2.6
-0.2
2.1
1.4
4,629.7
1.6
168.4
414.3
934.6
79.9
296.8
812.2
716.6
462.6
193.7
549.0
4,585.4
1.5
156.5
412.2
925.7
80.5
305.6
794.6
723.8
442.4
192.3
550.3
4,610.8
1.5
157.5
412.7
932.1
80.9
305.6
799.3
723.1
452.8
192.6
552.7
4,643.5
1.6
164.4
412.0
932.2
81.9
305.4
814.2
725.6
461.6
192.7
551.9
13.8
0.0
-4.0
-2.3
-2.4
2.0
8.6
2.0
9.0
-1.0
-1.0
2.9
0.3
0.0
-2.4
-0.6
-0.3
2.5
2.9
0.2
1.3
-0.2
-0.5
0.5
3,484.2
203.6
263.9
736.8
82.2
279.7
574.5
429.1
366.0
120.5
427.9
3,572.4
208.6
265.5
760.3
82.5
288.6
591.7
439.5
374.1
124.8
436.8
3,584.6
207.1
266.1
762.4
82.5
291.4
595.7
439.5
377.9
124.4
437.6
3,588.8
205.7
264.9
760.8
81.4
291.6
597.3
441.0
383.0
125.8
437.3
104.6
2.1
1.0
24.0
-0.8
11.9
22.8
11.9
17.0
5.3
9.4
3.0
1.0
0.4
3.3
-1.0
4.3
4.0
2.8
4.6
4.4
2.2
3,000.9
90.0
3,010.1
87.2
3,024.1
87.3
3,042.8
87.6
41.9
-2.4
1.4
-2.7
Note: See footnotes at end of table.
6
Table 2. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry supersector, 12 largest metropolitan areas, not
seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands) - Continued
Area and Industry
Construction .............................................
Manufacturing...........................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ............
Information ...............................................
Financial activities ....................................
Professional and business services .........
Education and health services .................
Leisure and hospitality..............................
Other services ..........................................
Government..............................................
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Total nonfarm................................................
Mining and logging ...................................
Construction .............................................
Manufacturing...........................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ............
Information ...............................................
Financial activities ....................................
Professional and business services .........
Education and health services .................
Leisure and hospitality..............................
Other services ..........................................
Government..............................................
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach,
FL
Total nonfarm................................................
Mining and logging ...................................
Construction .............................................
Manufacturing...........................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ............
Information ...............................................
Financial activities ....................................
Professional and business services .........
Education and health services .................
Leisure and hospitality..............................
Other services ..........................................
Government..............................................
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
Total nonfarm................................................
Mining, logging, and construction.............
Manufacturing...........................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ............
Information ...............................................
Financial activities ....................................
Professional and business services .........
Education and health services .................
Leisure and hospitality..............................
Other services ..........................................
Government..............................................
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJDE-MD
Total nonfarm................................................
Mining, logging, and construction.............
Manufacturing...........................................
Apr
2016
Feb
2017
Mar
2017
Apr
2017(p)
Apr
2016 to Apr 2017(p)
Net change
Percent
change
221.4
224.8
606.3
32.4
154.2
467.9
377.8
312.4
108.1
405.6
215.6
226.1
602.6
32.8
153.7
468.1
386.2
314.8
107.0
416.0
217.9
227.5
600.2
32.5
153.9
472.7
387.9
318.8
108.3
417.1
213.8
229.9
604.4
32.1
153.5
479.7
390.5
323.5
109.9
417.9
-7.6
5.1
-1.9
-0.3
-0.7
11.8
12.7
11.1
1.8
12.3
-3.4
2.3
-0.3
-0.9
-0.5
2.5
3.4
3.6
1.7
3.0
5,969.8
4.1
229.0
518.3
1,079.7
263.0
336.2
894.2
977.0
719.7
203.2
745.4
6,007.7
4.0
230.5
510.8
1,085.6
256.2
337.6
909.4
996.5
717.9
208.1
751.1
6,032.1
3.9
235.4
512.8
1,083.3
254.8
337.2
911.9
1,004.1
723.9
208.7
756.1
6,021.7
4.0
237.8
510.7
1,079.2
252.4
336.5
904.3
1,002.2
731.4
210.8
752.4
51.9
-0.1
8.8
-7.6
-0.5
-10.6
0.3
10.1
25.2
11.7
7.6
7.0
0.9
-2.4
3.8
-1.5
0.0
-4.0
0.1
1.1
2.6
1.6
3.7
0.9
2,586.8
0.7
120.4
87.5
589.1
49.2
175.9
420.6
381.6
326.7
125.0
310.1
2,630.6
0.7
124.5
88.4
596.9
49.0
174.3
430.4
392.3
331.0
128.7
314.4
2,639.7
0.7
123.9
88.7
597.3
48.9
174.1
434.1
395.0
332.8
128.6
315.6
2,647.5
0.7
125.1
88.4
599.5
48.9
174.5
434.3
396.2
335.0
128.9
316.0
60.7
0.0
4.7
0.9
10.4
-0.3
-1.4
13.7
14.6
8.3
3.9
5.9
2.3
0.0
3.9
1.0
1.8
-0.6
-0.8
3.3
3.8
2.5
3.1
1.9
9,503.3
383.0
366.2
1,708.1
285.7
766.1
1,508.8
1,879.1
879.1
415.7
1,311.5
9,469.1
362.8
362.9
1,708.4
285.1
768.3
1,506.3
1,914.5
842.9
412.5
1,305.4
9,514.1
369.9
363.5
1,709.0
287.2
770.8
1,508.5
1,921.6
856.7
413.0
1,313.9
9,586.4
381.3
363.2
1,705.6
286.6
775.0
1,525.6
1,927.9
887.7
416.5
1,317.0
83.1
-1.7
-3.0
-2.5
0.9
8.9
16.8
48.8
8.6
0.8
5.5
0.9
-0.4
-0.8
-0.1
0.3
1.2
1.1
2.6
1.0
0.2
0.4
2,869.7
112.9
178.3
2,878.0
109.4
177.3
2,889.7
111.7
177.0
2,913.6
115.8
176.9
43.9
2.9
-1.4
1.5
2.6
-0.8
Note: See footnotes at end of table.
7
Table 2. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry supersector, 12 largest metropolitan areas, not
seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands) - Continued
Area and Industry
Trade, transportation, and utilities ............
Information ...............................................
Financial activities ....................................
Professional and business services .........
Education and health services .................
Leisure and hospitality..............................
Other services ..........................................
Government..............................................
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
Total nonfarm................................................
Mining and logging ...................................
Construction .............................................
Manufacturing...........................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ............
Information ...............................................
Financial activities ....................................
Professional and business services .........
Education and health services .................
Leisure and hospitality..............................
Other services ..........................................
Government..............................................
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
Total nonfarm................................................
Mining and logging ...................................
Construction .............................................
Manufacturing...........................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ............
Information ...............................................
Financial activities ....................................
Professional and business services .........
Education and health services .................
Leisure and hospitality..............................
Other services ..........................................
Government..............................................
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VAMD-WV
Total nonfarm................................................
Mining, logging, and construction.............
Manufacturing...........................................
Trade, transportation, and utilities ............
Information ...............................................
Financial activities ....................................
Professional and business services .........
Education and health services .................
Leisure and hospitality..............................
Other services ..........................................
Government..............................................
Apr
2016
Feb
2017
Mar
2017
Apr
2017(p)
Apr
2016 to Apr 2017(p)
Net change
Percent
change
517.1
46.9
210.7
459.9
626.2
257.8
118.7
341.2
521.5
46.1
211.4
454.0
648.3
248.6
118.6
342.8
522.9
46.2
211.3
461.3
645.9
251.4
118.2
343.8
524.0
46.2
212.6
467.5
646.7
260.0
119.7
344.2
6.9
-0.7
1.9
7.6
20.5
2.2
1.0
3.0
1.3
-1.5
0.9
1.7
3.3
0.9
0.8
0.9
1,974.6
3.2
103.7
120.2
382.6
36.4
173.2
336.2
292.1
218.9
64.3
243.8
2,013.0
3.2
104.2
121.9
387.9
35.8
181.2
343.4
298.5
227.7
61.9
247.3
2,017.3
3.2
107.2
121.0
387.9
35.9
181.6
341.6
299.3
232.0
61.9
245.7
2,023.4
3.2
109.2
121.5
387.4
36.3
182.0
341.3
300.1
233.6
61.9
246.9
48.8
0.0
5.5
1.3
4.8
-0.1
8.8
5.1
8.0
14.7
-2.4
3.1
2.5
0.0
5.3
1.1
1.3
-0.3
5.1
1.5
2.7
6.7
-3.7
1.3
2,332.1
1.0
110.4
130.7
370.9
97.6
141.2
468.6
339.4
268.1
85.2
319.0
2,356.3
0.9
113.6
130.6
375.3
99.7
145.5
469.7
347.1
264.8
86.1
323.0
2,372.5
0.9
116.4
132.0
375.9
99.4
145.9
472.8
348.8
267.8
86.8
325.8
2,377.7
1.0
118.6
131.0
375.0
99.7
144.4
471.4
348.7
273.0
88.1
326.8
45.6
0.0
8.2
0.3
4.1
2.1
3.2
2.8
9.3
4.9
2.9
7.8
2.0
0.0
7.4
0.2
1.1
2.2
2.3
0.6
2.7
1.8
3.4
2.4
3,230.3
156.6
53.7
400.5
74.9
156.2
737.5
440.4
318.4
194.1
698.0
3,240.0
151.1
52.5
402.5
72.3
155.9
743.1
446.8
319.2
194.6
702.0
3,246.4
150.5
52.8
403.1
71.6
155.2
746.1
445.7
323.0
193.6
704.8
3,268.3
156.7
53.6
404.8
71.5
155.7
750.3
448.2
329.2
194.3
704.0
38.0
0.1
-0.1
4.3
-3.4
-0.5
12.8
7.8
10.8
0.2
6.0
1.2
0.1
-0.2
1.1
-4.5
-0.3
1.7
1.8
3.4
0.1
0.9
Footnotes(p) Preliminary
8

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