15 Cities With the Most Job Gains in 2021

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Since the short pandemic-induced recession of 2020, the job market has recovered quickly.

At the onset of the pandemic, the U.S. lost over 22 million jobs, but according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nonfarm employment is currently just 4.2 million lower than pre-pandemic levels. While monthly job gains have not been steady, employment in October of 2021 was 5.8 million (4.1%) higher than a year ago.

To find the metropolitan areas with the most job gains in 2021, researchers at Self Financial analyzed the latest employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The researchers ranked metro areas according to the percentage change in employment from October 2020 to October 2021. Researchers also included the total change in employment, total employment, and the unemployment rate.

To improve relevance, only metropolitan areas with at least 100,000 people were included in the analysis. Here are the U.S. metros with the most job gains in 2021.

15. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL

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• Percentage change in employment (YoY): +4.7%
• Total change in employment (YoY): +118,800
• Total employment (October 2021): 2,641,000
• Unemployment rate (October 2021): 4.0%

14. Raleigh-Cary, NC

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• Percentage change in employment (YoY): +4.8%
• Total change in employment (YoY): +30,000
• Total employment (October 2021): 657,200
• Unemployment rate (October 2021): 3.0%

13. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA

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• Percentage change in employment (YoY): +4.8%
• Total change in employment (YoY): +129,500
• Total employment (October 2021): 2,823,800
• Unemployment rate (October 2021): 2.4%

12. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

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• Percentage change in employment (YoY): +4.9%
• Total change in employment (YoY): +52,100
• Total employment (October 2021): 1,114,400
• Unemployment rate (October 2021): 3.8%

11. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

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• Percentage change in employment (YoY): +5.0%
• Total change in employment (YoY): +57,100
• Total employment (October 2021): 1,192,900
• Unemployment rate (October 2021): 3.4%

10. Salt Lake City, UT

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• Percentage change in employment (YoY): +5.2%
• Total change in employment (YoY): +38,600
• Total employment (October 2021): 780,300
• Unemployment rate (October 2021): 1.4%

9. Rochester, NY

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• Percentage change in employment (YoY): +5.4%
• Total change in employment (YoY): +26,400
• Total employment (October 2021): 516,200
• Unemployment rate (October 2021): 4.2%

8. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

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• Percentage change in employment (YoY): +5.4%
• Total change in employment (YoY): +73,300
• Total employment (October 2021): 1,419,200
• Unemployment rate (October 2021): 3.8%

7. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

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• Percentage change in employment (YoY): +5.4%
• Total change in employment (YoY): +300,100
• Total employment (October 2021): 5,884,100
• Unemployment rate (October 2021): 7.1%

6. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

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• Percentage change in employment (YoY): +5.5%
• Total change in employment (YoY): +140,500
• Total employment (October 2021): 2,693,700
• Unemployment rate (October 2021): 4.7%

5. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

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• Percentage change in employment (YoY): +5.6%
• Total change in employment (YoY): +109,400
• Total employment (October 2021): 2,062,500
• Unemployment rate (October 2021): 4.6%

4. Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ

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• Percentage change in employment (YoY): +5.6%
• Total change in employment (YoY): +118,700
• Total employment (October 2021): 2,239,600
• Unemployment rate (October 2021): 3.2%

3. Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX

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• Percentage change in employment (YoY): +6.7%
• Total change in employment (YoY): +73,700
• Total employment (October 2021): 1,169,400
• Unemployment rate (October 2021): 3.4%

2. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

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• Percentage change in employment (YoY): +6.7%
• Total change in employment (YoY): +78,300
• Total employment (October 2021): 1,253,800
• Unemployment rate (October 2021): 4.4%

1. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

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• Percentage change in employment (YoY): +8.5%
• Total change in employment (YoY): +76,700
• Total employment (October 2021): 975,100
• Unemployment rate (October 2021): 6.6%

Methodology

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To find the metropolitan areas with the most job gains and losses, researchers at Self Financial analyzed the latest employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’s Current Employment Statistics and Local Area Unemployment Statistics. The researchers ranked metro areas according to the percentage change in employment from October 2020 to October 2021. In the event of a tie, the metro with the higher employment for October 2021 was ranked higher. Researchers also calculated the total change in employment and the unemployment rate (October 2021).

To improve relevance, only metropolitan areas with at least 100,000 people were included in the analysis.

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