Chicago Area Employment — May 2024

Total nonfarm employment for the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI, metropolitan area stood at 4,798,500 in May 2024 compared to 4,785,800 a year ago, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See chart 1 and table 1.) Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that the employment change over the year was not statistically significant. Nationally, employment rose 1.8 percent over the year. (All data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year analysis is used throughout.)

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI, is made up of four metropolitan divisions-separately identifiable employment centers within the greater metropolitan area. Employment in Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL, was 3,822,200, accounting for 80 percent of the metropolitan area's total nonfarm employment in May 2024. Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI, employed 423,300, accounting for 9 percent of the area's employment, while Elgin, IL, and Gary, IN, each accounted for 6 percent of the area's employment. Employment levels for these four divisions changed little over the year.

Industry employment

In Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI, education and health services had the only significant gain (+22,200) among the metropolitan area's private-industry supersectors. (See chart 2.) The Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL, division added 18,700 jobs in this supersector, all of which occurred in the health care and social assistance sector. The 2.9-percent rise in the metropolitan area's education and health services supersector compared to the 4.2-percent increase on a national level.

Employment in professional and business services was down 30,400 over the year. The Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL, division lost 26,200 jobs in this supersector. The metropolitan area had a 3.6-percent loss compared to the 0.5-percent gain for the nation.

Twelve largest metropolitan areas

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI, was 1 of the nation's 12 largest metropolitan statistical areas in May 2024. Six of twelve areas gained total nonfarm payroll employment over the year. The largest job gain occurred in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA (+144,400). Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (+44,300) had the smallest employment increase among the areas with significant changes. (See table 2 and chart 3.)

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX, had a 2.4-percent rate of job gain, followed by Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL (+2.3 percent), and Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ (+2.2 percent). New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA, and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, each reported a job gain of 1.4 percent.

The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment release for June 2024 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Technical Note

This release presents nonfarm payroll employment estimates from the CES program. The CES survey is a Federal-State cooperative endeavor between State employment security agencies and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. More information about the CES data is available in the State Employment and Unemployment Summary and the Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary.

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 2022 version of the North American Industry Classification System.

Method of estimation. CES State and Area employment data are produced using several estimation procedures. Where possible these data are produced using a "weighted link relative" estimation technique in which a ratio of current-month weighted employment to that of the previous-month weighted employment is computed from a sample of establishments reporting for both months. The estimates of employment for the current month are then obtained by multiplying these ratios by the previous month's employment estimates. The weighted link relative technique is utilized for data series where the sample size meets certain statistical criteria. For some employment series, the estimates are produced with a model that uses direct sample estimates (described above) combined with other regressors to compensate for smaller sample sizes.

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. Information on recent benchmark revisions is available in the CES State and Area benchmark article.

Reliability of the estimates. The estimates presented in this release are based on sample surveys, administrative data, and modeling 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 also are 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 specific estimation processes used. The sums of individual items may not always equal totals shown in the same tables due to rounding.

Employment estimates. Changes in metropolitan area nonfarm payroll employment are cited in the analysis of this release only if they have been determined to be statistically significant at the 90-percent confidence level. Reliability of state and area estimates for the total nonfarm employment series are available for metropolitan areas and metropolitan divisions.

Area definitions. The substate area data published in this news release reflect the delineations issued by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget on April 10, 2018. The 12 metropolitan areas discussed in this release are the metropolitan areas with the largest population according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area includes Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties in Illinois; Jasper, Lake, Newton, and Porter Counties in Indiana; and Kenosha County in Wisconsin.

• The Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division includes Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kendall, McHenry, and Will Counties in Illinois.

• The Elgin, IL Metropolitan Division includes DeKalb and Kane Counties.

• The Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metropolitan Division includes Lake County in Illinois and Kenosha County in Wisconsin.

• The Gary, IN Metropolitan Division includes Jasper, Lake, Newton, and Porter Counties in Indiana.

Additional information

State and area employment data from the CES program are available on the BLS website.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Table 1. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry supersector, the Chicago metropolitan area and its components, not seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands)

Area and Industry	May 2023	Mar 2024	Apr 2024	May 2024(p)	May 2023 to May 2024(p)
Net change	Percent change
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area
Total nonfarm	4,785.8	4,726.8	4,761.4	4,798.5	12.7	0.3
Mining and logging	1.5	1.5	1.6	1.6	0.1	6.7
Construction	187.0	169.3	177.6	183.9	-3.1	-1.7
Manufacturing	409.7	420.1	421.2	418.4	8.7	2.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities	967.3	956.0	956.5	960.3	-7.0	-0.7
Information	79.4	77.8	77.4	76.9	-2.5	-3.1
Financial activities	317.6	314.4	312.8	314.5	-3.1	-1.0
Professional and business services	848.6	801.2	810.9	818.2	-30.4	-3.6
Education and health services	759.4	777.1	781.9	781.6	22.2	2.9
Leisure and hospitality	475.8	459.1	470.2	484.1	8.3	1.7
Other services	195.2	199.9	200.4	202.0	6.8	3.5
Government	544.3	550.4	550.9	557.0	12.7	2.3
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division
Total nonfarm	3,817.3	3,768.6	3,795.0	3,822.2	4.9	0.1
Mining and logging	1.2	1.2	1.3	1.3	0.1	8.3
Construction	138.5	125.1	131.4	136.1	-2.4	-1.7
Manufacturing	275.9	285.7	286.6	283.7	7.8	2.8
Trade, transportation, and utilities	760.4	749.8	750.0	752.6	-7.8	-1.0
Information	72.1	70.9	70.5	70.0	-2.1	-2.9
Financial activities	277.5	275.4	273.9	275.6	-1.9	-0.7
Professional and business services	708.8	669.7	676.4	682.6	-26.2	-3.7
Education and health services	630.3	644.0	648.6	649.0	18.7	3.0
Leisure and hospitality	375.4	362.2	370.5	381.2	5.8	1.5
Other services	157.7	161.8	162.4	163.7	6.0	3.8
Government	419.5	422.8	423.4	426.4	6.9	1.6
Elgin, IL Metropolitan Division
Total nonfarm	264.4	263.4	266.4	268.9	4.5	1.7
Mining and logging	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.0
Construction	14.8	13.2	13.9	14.5	-0.3	-2.0
Manufacturing	36.4	36.8	36.7	36.9	0.5	1.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	50.6	51.0	51.3	51.6	1.0	2.0
Information	2.3	2.2	2.2	2.2	-0.1	-4.3
Financial activities	9.7	9.8	9.8	9.8	0.1	1.0
Professional and business services	39.3	36.7	37.8	38.4	-0.9	-2.3
Education and health services	32.5	33.8	33.9	33.8	1.3	4.0
Leisure and hospitality	26.2	25.0	25.8	26.0	-0.2	-0.8
Other services	9.9	10.2	10.2	10.3	0.4	4.0
Government	42.6	44.6	44.7	45.3	2.7	6.3
Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metropolitan Division
Total nonfarm	420.8	415.0	418.5	423.3	2.5	0.6
Mining and logging	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.0
Construction	15.7	14.2	15.0	15.5	-0.2	-1.3
Manufacturing	63.3	63.6	63.7	63.6	0.3	0.5
Trade, transportation, and utilities	96.4	95.7	95.6	95.9	-0.5	-0.5
Information	3.1	2.9	2.9	2.9	-0.2	-6.5
Financial activities	21.2	20.1	20.0	19.9	-1.3	-6.1
Professional and business services	70.9	66.2	67.7	68.0	-2.9	-4.1
Education and health services	47.6	49.3	49.3	49.0	1.4	2.9
Leisure and hospitality	40.0	39.5	40.8	43.1	3.1	7.8
Other services	13.4	13.5	13.5	13.6	0.2	1.5
Government	49.1	49.9	49.9	51.7	2.6	5.3
Gary, IN Metropolitan Division
Total nonfarm	283.3	279.8	281.5	284.1	0.8	0.3
Mining and logging	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.0
Construction	18.0	16.8	17.3	17.8	-0.2	-1.1
Manufacturing	34.1	34.0	34.2	34.2	0.1	0.3
Trade, transportation, and utilities	59.9	59.5	59.6	60.2	0.3	0.5
Information	1.9	1.8	1.8	1.8	-0.1	-5.3
Financial activities	9.2	9.1	9.1	9.2	0.0	0.0
Professional and business services	29.6	28.6	29.0	29.2	-0.4	-1.4
Education and health services	49.0	50.0	50.1	49.8	0.8	1.6
Leisure and hospitality	34.2	32.4	33.1	33.8	-0.4	-1.2
Other services	14.2	14.4	14.3	14.4	0.2	1.4
Government	33.1	33.1	32.9	33.6	0.5	1.5
Footnotes (p) Preliminary

Table 2. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry supersector, United States and 12 largest metropolitan areas, not seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands)

Area	May 2023	Mar 2024	Apr 2024	May 2024(p)	May 2023 to May 2024(p)
Net change	Percent change
United States(1)
Total nonfarm	156,132	157,210	158,001	158,918	2,786	1.8
Mining and logging	640	640	633	633	-7	-1.1
Construction	8,024	7,971	8,116	8,278	254	3.2
Manufacturing	12,910	12,904	12,907	12,940	30	0.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	28,699	28,702	28,735	28,892	193	0.7
Information	3,039	3,003	2,996	2,995	-44	-1.4
Financial activities	9,164	9,170	9,174	9,200	36	0.4
Professional and business services	22,872	22,727	22,907	22,987	115	0.5
Education and health services	25,210	26,182	26,297	26,269	1,059	4.2
Leisure and hospitality	16,782	16,478	16,750	17,194	412	2.5
Other services	5,830	5,853	5,890	5,927	97	1.7
Government	22,962	23,580	23,596	23,603	641	2.8
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Total nonfarm	3,050.2	3,068.0	3,076.3	3,084.8	34.6	1.1
Mining and logging	2.0	2.1	2.1	2.1	0.1	5.0
Construction	142.9	148.7	147.2	148.9	6.0	4.2
Manufacturing	181.7	182.3	183.0	182.7	1.0	0.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	662.2	651.8	651.7	653.9	-8.3	-1.3
Information	108.6	95.5	94.6	97.3	-11.3	-10.4
Financial activities	202.4	207.3	209.1	208.2	5.8	2.9
Professional and business services	585.2	581.5	586.2	581.5	-3.7	-0.6
Education and health services	406.1	418.8	420.1	420.8	14.7	3.6
Leisure and hospitality	311.5	316.3	317.7	323.5	12.0	3.9
Other services	103.4	104.2	105.4	106.5	3.1	3.0
Government	344.2	359.5	359.2	359.4	15.2	4.4
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH (NECTA)
Total nonfarm	2,818.7	2,786.0	2,806.6	2,826.7	8.0	0.3
Mining, logging, and construction	130.7	122.3	126.8	131.2	0.5	0.4
Manufacturing	183.9	181.7	180.8	179.9	-4.0	-2.2
Trade, transportation, and utilities	405.4	399.0	398.0	401.9	-3.5	-0.9
Information	81.2	78.0	78.5	77.4	-3.8	-4.7
Financial activities	183.6	183.2	182.7	182.3	-1.3	-0.7
Professional and business services	534.6	519.9	528.0	529.2	-5.4	-1.0
Education and health services	607.4	624.7	625.9	619.5	12.1	2.0
Leisure and hospitality	270.9	252.5	260.0	277.2	6.3	2.3
Other services	103.2	102.7	103.5	104.4	1.2	1.2
Government	317.8	322.0	322.4	323.7	5.9	1.9
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
Total nonfarm	4,785.8	4,726.8	4,761.4	4,798.5	12.7	0.3
Mining and logging	1.5	1.5	1.6	1.6	0.1	6.7
Construction	187.0	169.3	177.6	183.9	-3.1	-1.7
Manufacturing	409.7	420.1	421.2	418.4	8.7	2.1
Trade, transportation, and utilities	967.3	956.0	956.5	960.3	-7.0	-0.7
Information	79.4	77.8	77.4	76.9	-2.5	-3.1
Financial activities	317.6	314.4	312.8	314.5	-3.1	-1.0
Professional and business services	848.6	801.2	810.9	818.2	-30.4	-3.6
Education and health services	759.4	777.1	781.9	781.6	22.2	2.9
Leisure and hospitality	475.8	459.1	470.2	484.1	8.3	1.7
Other services	195.2	199.9	200.4	202.0	6.8	3.5
Government	544.3	550.4	550.9	557.0	12.7	2.3
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
Total nonfarm	4,218.3	4,245.3	4,272.3	4,286.3	68.0	1.6
Mining, logging, and construction	244.2	250.4	251.1	253.0	8.8	3.6
Manufacturing	305.2	309.0	309.9	311.1	5.9	1.9
Trade, transportation, and utilities	890.3	892.4	894.1	899.4	9.1	1.0
Information	92.8	91.0	90.7	90.5	-2.3	-2.5
Financial activities	365.1	367.4	369.6	371.7	6.6	1.8
Professional and business services	778.1	767.5	773.6	772.3	-5.8	-0.7
Education and health services	504.0	513.7	518.2	516.2	12.2	2.4
Leisure and hospitality	426.8	423.4	430.8	435.6	8.8	2.1
Other services	135.8	142.2	143.5	143.4	7.6	5.6
Government	476.0	488.3	490.8	493.1	17.1	3.6
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
Total nonfarm	3,370.9	3,418.3	3,436.5	3,452.6	81.7	2.4
Mining and logging	70.2	71.6	71.2	71.9	1.7	2.4
Construction	231.4	235.0	237.0	239.8	8.4	3.6
Manufacturing	233.0	236.2	236.6	237.6	4.6	2.0
Trade, transportation, and utilities	683.6	684.1	684.6	687.9	4.3	0.6
Information	33.5	32.2	32.5	32.6	-0.9	-2.7
Financial activities	185.9	186.3	187.2	187.6	1.7	0.9
Professional and business services	554.4	557.2	561.0	561.2	6.8	1.2
Education and health services	446.4	466.4	468.7	467.6	21.2	4.7
Leisure and hospitality	360.4	355.6	362.2	368.5	8.1	2.2
Other services	125.6	130.8	132.7	134.4	8.8	7.0
Government	446.5	462.9	462.8	463.5	17.0	3.8
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Total nonfarm	6,245.9	6,252.6	6,275.1	6,292.2	46.3	0.7
Mining and logging	2.0	1.9	1.9	2.0	0.0	0.0
Construction	255.1	253.7	253.8	256.1	1.0	0.4
Manufacturing	474.8	470.1	468.6	467.6	-7.2	-1.5
Trade, transportation, and utilities	1,078.2	1,077.3	1,077.6	1,078.9	0.7	0.1
Information	222.1	206.1	207.1	207.0	-15.1	-6.8
Financial activities	314.3	310.9	311.7	313.0	-1.3	-0.4
Professional and business services	979.0	960.6	957.8	959.9	-19.1	-2.0
Education and health services	1,182.6	1,228.2	1,238.1	1,231.5	48.9	4.1
Leisure and hospitality	769.1	765.6	775.4	787.4	18.3	2.4
Other services	213.0	216.5	218.0	220.9	7.9	3.7
Government	755.7	761.7	765.1	767.9	12.2	1.6
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
Total nonfarm	2,902.7	2,958.4	2,968.6	2,969.3	66.6	2.3
Construction	150.4	157.8	159.2	160.7	10.3	6.8
Manufacturing	98.0	98.7	99.6	99.9	1.9	1.9
Trade, transportation, and utilities	646.4	655.2	655.5	655.6	9.2	1.4
Information	56.4	55.1	55.2	54.9	-1.5	-2.7
Financial activities	216.2	216.6	215.8	214.6	-1.6	-0.7
Professional and business services	517.8	514.5	520.0	516.8	-1.0	-0.2
Education and health services	447.2	463.4	464.8	466.4	19.2	4.3
Leisure and hospitality	343.2	356.7	357.8	358.0	14.8	4.3
Other services	114.2	117.6	118.0	118.9	4.7	4.1
Government	312.1	321.9	321.8	322.6	10.5	3.4
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
Total nonfarm	10,092.9	10,088.7	10,151.5	10,237.3	144.4	1.4
Mining, logging, and construction	408.7	389.8	400.6	409.0	0.3	0.1
Manufacturing	349.2	346.0	345.6	347.2	-2.0	-0.6
Trade, transportation, and utilities	1,670.3	1,651.3	1,653.1	1,661.1	-9.2	-0.6
Information	318.8	309.6	304.5	302.7	-16.1	-5.1
Financial activities	818.6	820.3	819.1	819.1	0.5	0.1
Professional and business services	1,662.9	1,623.5	1,636.6	1,643.3	-19.6	-1.2
Education and health services	2,211.3	2,318.4	2,327.9	2,343.1	131.8	6.0
Leisure and hospitality	938.9	900.8	930.4	973.0	34.1	3.6
Other services	409.0	409.0	412.6	415.4	6.4	1.6
Government	1,305.2	1,320.0	1,321.1	1,323.4	18.2	1.4
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Total nonfarm	3,080.0	3,084.1	3,102.1	3,124.3	44.3	1.4
Mining, logging, and construction	126.3	120.2	125.0	126.6	0.3	0.2
Manufacturing	181.0	181.5	181.0	181.8	0.8	0.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	544.5	535.3	536.2	539.1	-5.4	-1.0
Information	54.1	52.7	52.4	52.7	-1.4	-2.6
Financial activities	229.0	230.3	229.8	230.4	1.4	0.6
Professional and business services	503.2	490.6	495.1	497.9	-5.3	-1.1
Education and health services	701.4	734.3	735.7	733.7	32.3	4.6
Leisure and hospitality	277.7	267.0	274.6	289.2	11.5	4.1
Other services	123.5	123.0	123.7	125.4	1.9	1.5
Government	339.3	349.2	348.6	347.5	8.2	2.4
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
Total nonfarm	2,397.7	2,445.9	2,456.5	2,450.0	52.3	2.2
Mining and logging	3.3	3.8	3.8	3.8	0.5	15.2
Construction	169.0	170.5	171.5	170.7	1.7	1.0
Manufacturing	149.2	147.3	147.2	148.6	-0.6	-0.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	464.1	476.1	476.1	475.7	11.6	2.5
Information	43.1	40.6	40.8	40.7	-2.4	-5.6
Financial activities	211.5	209.6	210.0	211.2	-0.3	-0.1
Professional and business services	389.6	396.1	397.1	394.4	4.8	1.2
Education and health services	382.9	409.5	413.0	413.2	30.3	7.9
Leisure and hospitality	256.0	251.3	255.1	250.8	-5.2	-2.0
Other services	77.3	77.9	78.0	78.8	1.5	1.9
Government	251.7	263.2	263.9	262.1	10.4	4.1
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
Total nonfarm	2,472.8	2,459.6	2,463.8	2,476.2	3.4	0.1
Mining and logging	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.0	0.0
Construction	124.3	120.5	119.6	121.7	-2.6	-2.1
Manufacturing	152.6	148.8	147.7	148.0	-4.6	-3.0
Trade, transportation, and utilities	347.8	345.5	346.5	347.5	-0.3	-0.1
Information	145.8	133.9	133.5	131.8	-14.0	-9.6
Financial activities	137.1	133.7	134.3	136.0	-1.1	-0.8
Professional and business services	507.1	498.2	497.7	499.0	-8.1	-1.6
Education and health services	393.9	410.6	412.9	412.0	18.1	4.6
Leisure and hospitality	253.9	252.1	254.6	259.5	5.6	2.2
Other services	84.6	86.9	87.8	88.8	4.2	5.0
Government	325.3	329.0	328.8	331.5	6.2	1.9
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Total nonfarm	3,372.3	3,361.9	3,373.7	3,401.2	28.9	0.9
Mining, logging, and construction	163.9	160.4	160.0	161.3	-2.6	-1.6
Manufacturing	57.3	57.7	58.0	58.7	1.4	2.4
Trade, transportation, and utilities	401.8	400.6	399.6	402.0	0.2	0.0
Information	81.6	79.4	79.1	79.1	-2.5	-3.1
Financial activities	154.9	150.9	150.5	151.3	-3.6	-2.3
Professional and business services	816.8	805.7	809.5	815.9	-0.9	-0.1
Education and health services	452.3	464.8	467.1	466.1	13.8	3.1
Leisure and hospitality	326.8	310.3	320.2	329.2	2.4	0.7
Other services	193.0	194.8	196.2	198.5	5.5	2.8
Government	723.9	737.3	733.5	739.1	15.2	2.1
Footnotes (1) U.S. data are preliminary for two months after they are first published. (p) Preliminary

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