LABOR REPORT: Birmingham metro job growth ranks 4th in U.S.

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Birmingham
Railroad Park and the downtown Birmingham skyline (Pat Byington/Bham Now)

The Birmingham metro area ranked 4th in the U.S. for job growth between November 2022 and November 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The numbers appeared in the Bureau’s January “The Economics Daily” (TED) report.

Birmingham metro job growth up 3%

This report was based on large metro areas whose population was at least 1 million in the 2010 Census. Employment-wise nationally, 30 large metro areas increased their number of jobs, while another 21 were unchanged. Memphis, Denver and Detroit metros were the only communities that experienced negative job growth and that was very slight.

Here are the top 6 metros in the report with the largest percentage increases:

  • Jacksonville, Florida — 3.8%
  • Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise — 3.8%
  • Raleigh, North Carolina — 3.8%
  • Birmingham-Hoover — 3.0%
  • Miami-Fort Lauderdale —3.0%
  • Austin-Round Rock TX — 2.8%

Rounding out the top ten were Philadelphia, Richmond, San Antonia and Atlanta.

Banner year for Birmingham employment

2023 was a banner year for the Birmingham metro area, not only for job growth, but also employment.

In April 2023, Birmingham tied Miami with the lowest unemployment rate in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

With several major projects coming online in 2024/25 at UAB, Southern Research and many other places, job growth in the Magic City should continue.

What are thoughts about the Birmingham labor market? Tell us on by tagging us on social media at @bhamnow

Pat Byington
Pat Byington

Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.

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