Austin Ranks in the Top 10 for Job Growth

Considering the current economic troubles the world is currently facing, much of the state of Texas is faring remarkably well in terms of job growth.  In fact, according to figures that were recently released by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, 6,200 private-sector jobs were added in Austin during the period between November 2007 and November 2008.  When compared to the rest of the country, this was the 10th biggest gain in any metro area.

Austin isn’t the only Texas area to demonstrate resiliency during these troubled times.  In fact, Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth had the largest gains in the country with Houston adding 42,400 jobs during the period between November 2007 and November 2008.  Dallas-Fort Worth also added an additional 35,100 jobs.  These figures are even more impressive when considering that no other market in the United States managed to add more than 15,600 private sector jobs during this same time period.

San Antonio also made the list, with a job growth of 11,700 new jobs.  As such, all four of the major metro areas in Texas made it into the top ten.  Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of other areas throughout the country.  In fact, on 21 of the country’s major metro areas so job growth, while one had no change and the rest actually lost jobs during this time period.  The metro area with the largest loss of jobs was Detroit, with a loss of 67,700 jobs.  Unfortunately for the city of Detroit, November 2008 marked the 38th month strait that the city had experienced a loss in jobs.  Phoenix, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles and Atlanta also each lost more than 50,000 jobs.

The following is a full list of the top 100 metro areas and their posted job gain or loss.

1. Houston, up 42,400 jobs
2. Dallas-Fort Worth, up 35,100 jobs
3. Washington, up 15,600 jobs
4. San Antonio, up 11,700 jobs
5. Seattle, up 9,900 jobs
6. Virginia Beach-Norfolk, up 9,100 jobs
7. Oklahoma City, up 8,100 jobs
8. New Orleans, up 7,200 jobs
9. McAllen-Edinburg, Texas, up 6,700 jobs
10. Austin, up 6,200 jobs
11. Boston, up 4,600 jobs
11. Raleigh, up 4,600 jobs
13. El Paso, Texas, up 4,100 jobs
14. Hartford, up 3,600 jobs
15. Columbus, up 2,900 jobs
16. Baton Rouge, La., up 2,800 jobs
17. Bakersfield, Calif., up 2,000 jobs
18. Omaha, up 1,100 jobs
19. Youngstown, Ohio, up 500 jobs
20. New Haven, Conn., up 300 jobs