NEW YORK, NY — In July 2018, New York State’s private sector job count rose by 7,900, or 0.1%, to 8,192,300, a new, all-time employment high, according to preliminary figures released today by the New York State Department of Labor. Since the beginning of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration, New York State’s economy has added 1,098,200 private sector jobs and experienced employment growth in 79 of the past 91 months.
The statewide unemployment rate decreased from 4.5% to 4.3% in July 2018. This unemployment rate matches New York State’s lowest level since March 2007. In addition, the number of unemployed New Yorkers fell in July, from 430,400 to 419,800, reaching its lowest level since April 2007.
The State’s private sector job count is based on a payroll survey of 18,000 New York employers conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Monthly payroll employment estimates are preliminary and subject to revision as more data become available the following month. The federal government calculates New York State’s unemployment rate based partly upon the results of the Current Population Survey, which contacts approximately 3,100 households in New York State each month.
“New York State’s labor market continued to expand in July 2018 as the State added 7,900 private sector jobs to reach a new, all-time high employment count. At the same time, the statewide unemployment rate fell from 4.5% to 4.3% in July, its lowest level since before the recession,” said Bohdan M. Wynnyk, Director of the New York State Department of Labor’s Division of Research and Statistics.
Note: Seasonally adjusted data are used to provide the most valid month-to-month comparison. Non-seasonally adjusted data are valuable in year-to-year comparisons of the same month – for example, July 2017 versus July 2018.
United States and New York State: June – July 2018
1) Jobs data (seasonally adjusted):
The table below compares the over-the-month change in the total nonfarm and private sector job counts in the United States and New York State in June-July 2018.
Change in Total Nonfarm and Private Sector Jobs June – July 2018
| Change in Total Nonfarm Jobs: | Change in | |||
| (private sector + government) | Private Sector Jobs: | |||
| Net | % | Net | % | |
| United States | 157,000 | 0.10% | $170,000.00 | 0.10% |
| New York State | 8,800 | 0.10% | $7,900.00 | 0.10% |
2) Unemployment rates (seasonally adjusted):
The State’s unemployment rate is calculated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, using a statistical regression model that primarily uses the results of the Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS contacts approximately 3,100 households in New York State each month. In July 2018, the statewide unemployment rate decreased from 4.5% to 4.3%. In addition, the number of unemployed New Yorkers fell over the month, from 430,400 to 419,800.
| Unemployment Rates (%)* | |||
| July 2018* | Jun-18 | Jul-17 | |
| United States | 4 | 400.00% | $4.30 |
| New York State | 4 | 450.00% | $4.70 |
| New York City | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.7 |
| NYS, outside NYC | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.8 |
| *Data are preliminary and subject to change, based on standard procedures outlined by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. | |||
United States, New York State and Metro Areas: July 2017 – July 2018
1) Jobs data (not seasonally adjusted):
The following table compares the over-the-year changes in the total nonfarm and private sector job counts occurring in the United States, New York State and metro areas within the State between July 2017 and July 2018.
Change in Total Nonfarm and Private Sector Jobs by Area
July 2017 – July 2018
| Change in Total Nonfarm Jobs: | Change in | |||
| (private sector + government) | Private Sector Jobs: | |||
| Net | % | Net | % | |
| United States | 2,415,000 | 1.60% | $2,418,000.00 | 1.90% |
| New York State | 156,800 | 1.60% | $155,700.00 | 1.90% |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | 2,600 | 0.60% | 2,500 | 0.70% |
| Binghamton | 700 | 0.70% | 900 | 1.10% |
| Buffalo-Niagara Falls | 6,900 | 1.20% | 6,700 | 1.40% |
| Dutchess-Putnam | 1,400 | 0.90% | 1,300 | 1.10% |
| Elmira | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% |
| Glens Falls | 1,000 | 1.70% | 900 | 1.80% |
| Ithaca | 2,200 | 3.60% | 2,100 | 3.90% |
| Kingston | 1,200 | 1.90% | 1,200 | 2.40% |
| Nassau-Suffolk | 12,500 | 0.90% | 11,900 | 1.00% |
| New York City | 81,600 | 1.80% | 83,000 | 2.20% |
| Orange-Rockland-Westchester | 9,100 | 1.20% | 7,900 | 1.30% |
| Rochester | 9,800 | 1.90% | 9,400 | 2.10% |
| Syracuse | 4,200 | 1.30% | 4,000 | 1.50% |
| Utica-Rome | 0 | 0.00% | 800 | 0.80% |
| Watertown-Fort Drum | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% |
| Non-metro Counties | -700 | -0.10% | 100 | 0.00% |
Job highlights since July 2017:
- Thirteen metro areas in New York State added private sector jobs over the past year. The most rapid employment growth was in these areas:
- Ithaca (+3.9%)
- Kingston (+2.4%)
- New York City (+2.2%)
- Rochester (+2.1%)
- Glens Falls (+1.8%)
- Syracuse (+1.5%)
- Non-metro counties in New York gained 100 private sector jobs over the past year.
- Over the past 12 months, no metro areas in New York State lost private sector jobs.
Change in jobs by major industry sector: July 2017 – July 2018
1) Jobs data (not seasonally adjusted):
The table below compares the over-the-year change in jobs by major industry sector in New York State occurring between July 2017 and July 2018.
| Change in Total Nonfarm Jobs: | Change in | |||
| (private sector + government) | Private Sector Jobs: | |||
| Net | % | Net | % | |
| United States | 2,415,000 | 1.60% | $2,418,000.00 | 1.90% |
| New York State | 156,800 | 1.60% | $155,700.00 | 1.90% |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | 2,600 | 0.60% | 2,500 | 0.70% |
| Binghamton | 700 | 0.70% | 900 | 1.10% |
| Buffalo-Niagara Falls | 6,900 | 1.20% | 6,700 | 1.40% |
| Dutchess-Putnam | 1,400 | 0.90% | 1,300 | 1.10% |
| Elmira | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% |
| Glens Falls | 1,000 | 1.70% | 900 | 1.80% |
| Ithaca | 2,200 | 3.60% | 2,100 | 3.90% |
| Kingston | 1,200 | 1.90% | 1,200 | 2.40% |
| Nassau-Suffolk | 12,500 | 0.90% | 11,900 | 1.00% |
| New York City | 81,600 | 1.80% | 83,000 | 2.20% |
| Orange-Rockland-Westchester | 9,100 | 1.20% | 7,900 | 1.30% |
| Rochester | 9,800 | 1.90% | 9,400 | 2.10% |
| Syracuse | 4,200 | 1.30% | 4,000 | 1.50% |
| Utica-Rome | 0 | 0.00% | 800 | 0.80% |
| Watertown-Fort Drum | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% |
| Non-metro Counties | -700 | -0.10% | 100 | 0.00% |
| Change in Jobs by Major Industry Sector | |
| July 2017 – July 2018 | |
| Sectors With Job Gains: | |
| Educational & Health Services* | 66,500 |
| Leisure & Hospitality | 34,400 |
| Professional & Business Services | 18,100 |
| Construction | 17,100 |
| Other Services | 10,700 |
| Trade, Transportation & Utilities | 9,900 |
| Financial Activities | 4,200 |
| Government* | 1,100 |
| Sectors With Job Losses: | |
| Manufacturing | -4,800 |
| Information | -400 |
*Educational and health services is in the private sector.
Government includes public education and public health services.
Highlights among New York State sectors with job gains since July 2017:
- Private educational and health services added the most jobs (+66,500) of any major industry sector over the past year. Sector job gains were mostly in health care and social assistance (+43,700), especially ambulatory health care (+25,700).
- From July 2017 to July 2018, the second largest employment increase occurred in leisure and hospitality (+34,400). Most over-the-year job gains in this sector were found in accommodation and food services (+24,100), especially food services and drinking places (+24,100).
- The third largest increase in jobs over the past year occurred in professional and business services, which saw its employment count grow by 18,100. Sector gains were centered in professional, scientific and technical services (+10,200) and administrative and support services (+8,200).
- Construction had the fourth largest increase in jobs (+17,100) between July 2017 and July 2018. Over-the-year sector gains were concentrated in specialty trade contractors (+13,100), especially building equipment contractors (+3,500).
Highlights among New York State sectors with job losses since July 2017:
- Over the past 12 months, manufacturing lost the most jobs (-4,800) of any major industry sector in New York State. Over-the-year sector losses were focused in durable goods (-7,500), especially computer and electronic products (-2,100).
- From July 2017 to July 2018, the second largest employment decrease occurred in information, which lost 400 jobs. Over-the-year sector job losses were focused in publishing (-3,400).
Unemployment Insurance Benefits: July 2018
1) Regular Unemployment Insurance:
For New York State, during the week that included July 12, 2018, there were 113,880 people (including 104,726 who live in the State) who received benefits under the regular Unemployment Insurance program.
In July 2018, New York State residents who received Unemployment Insurance benefits made up 25% of the total unemployed.
Note: The responsibility for the production of monthly estimates of state and metro area nonfarm employment by industry moved from the Division of Research and Statistics to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), starting with the March 2011 estimates. More detailed information on the change is available on the BLS web site.
Many economic data series have a seasonal pattern, which means they tend to occur at the same time each year (e.g., retail jobs usually increase in December). Seasonal adjustment is the process of removing seasonal effects from a data series. This is done to simplify the data so that they may be more easily interpreted and help to reveal true underlying trends. Seasonal adjustment permits comparisons of data from one month to data from any other month.
Labor force statistics, including the unemployment rate, for New York and every other state are based on statistical regression models specified by the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In New York State, payroll jobs data by industry come from a monthly survey of 18,000 business establishments. Jobs data by industry do not include agricultural workers, the self-employed, unpaid family workers or domestic workers in private households.
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