Monthly Employment Watch: Milwaukee and the Nation's Largest Cities A monthly report on employment trends in the nation s largest cities Prepared by: The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Center for Economic Development November 2007 For further information contact: Professor Marc V. Levine Telephone: 414-229-6155 E-Mail: veblen@uwm.edu
About This Report Each month, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Center for Economic Development, drawing on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, monitors employment trends in Milwaukee and the nation s 50 largest cities. In addition, the Center also compares employment trends in Milwaukee to a smaller and more directly comparable group of peer cities, the 20 largest cities of the Northeast-Midwest Frostbelt region. Each month, the data compiled by the Center display year-overyear total employment for three different time periods: a) the most recent year (2006-2007); b) the past three years (2004-2007), since the current mayoral administration took office; and c) since 2000, the peak of the last business cycle. By looking at three different time periods, and two different samples of cities, we hope to provide a fuller sense of how Milwaukee s employment growth stacks up against other big cities over time, and how Milwaukee s position has changed over time.
The Monthly Employment Watch: The most recent monthly employment data for cities () reveal that Milwaukee continues on the path of modest employment growth observed through most of 2007. In the last year the number of employed residents in the city of Milwaukee in increased by 1,013, or 0.41%. This represents a slight improvement from the year-over-year employment increase of 708 in the August employment watch, but less than the employment increase of 2,191 in July. In, Milwaukee ranked 38th among the nation s 50 largest cities in rate of employment growth over the past year (Table 1), and 9th among the nation s 20 largest Frostbelt cities (Table 4). These rankings each represent an improvement of one ranking spot from the August employment report. Since 2004, employment in Milwaukee has increased by 2,366 (0.95%), placing the city 46th among the nation s 50 largest cities (Table 2) and 13th among the 20 largest Frostbelt cities (Table 5) in the rate of employment growth during this time period. These rankings represent an improvement by one position from the rankings in August. Clearly, although employment has increased slightly in Milwaukee since 2004, the pace of growth remains much less robust here than in most big cities, both in the nation as a whole as well as in the Frostbelt. Moreover, the small recent employment increases have not compensated for the massive employment loss experienced in Milwaukee since 2000. Since 2000, Milwaukee s employment has declined by 16,071, or 6.03%. This decline places Milwaukee 46th among the nation s 50 largest cities in employment growth since 2000 (Table 3), and 18th among the 20 largest Frostbelt cities (Table 6). Those rankings remain unchanged from last month s employment watch. Finally, comparison of unemployment rates in the 50 largest cities reveals the degree to which Milwaukee remains one of the country s most distressed urban labor markets (Table 7). In 2007, Milwaukee had the 47 th highest unemployment rate among the nation s 50 largest cities, posting a preliminary rate of 7.3% (down from 8.0% in August). Only Detroit, with a depression-era unemployment rate of 14.4%, as well as Oakland and Cleveland, ranked worse. Milwaukee s posted the 49 th highest unemployment rate among the 50 largest cities in the August 2007 employment watch. Since 2000, Milwaukee s ranking on unemployment has steadily deteriorated, placing 37th among the 50 largest cities in 2000, 37 th in 2004, 45 th in 2006, and 47 th in 2007.
Table 1 -- Employment Growth in the 50 Largest Cities: 2006 to 2007 Rank City 2006 2007 % change 1 Wichita 177,150 184,381 4.08% 2 Seattle 339,917 352,172 3.61% 3 Las Vegas 275,815 285,299 3.44% 4 Mesa City (AZ) 243,921 251,031 2.91% 5 Phoenix 802,765 826,163 2.91% 6 Atlanta 211,664 217,494 2.75% 7 Miami 158,758 162,986 2.66% 8 Memphis 294,655 302,244 2.58% 9 Nashville 301,588 308,276 2.22% 10 Austin 397,590 406,302 2.19% 11 Omaha 216,683 221,395 2.17% 12 Charlotte 328,958 335,942 2.12% 13 Portland 283,326 289,211 2.08% 14 Virginia Beach 218,028 222,466 2.04% 15 Tucson 252,264 257,351 2.02% 16 Los Angeles 1,787,740 1,823,763 2.02% 17 Long Beach 221,491 225,954 2.01% 18 Jacksonville 394,631 401,633 1.77% 19 Denver 299,888 304,795 1.64% 20 Albuquerque 253,467 257,558 1.61% 21 Louisville 343,289 348,424 1.50% 22 Columbus 393,298 398,773 1.39% 23 San Francisco 405,669 411,283 1.38% 24 Washington, D.C. 294,834 298,874 1.37% 25 Houston 956,718 969,083 1.29% 26 Dallas 576,401 583,565 1.24% 27 Oklahoma City 251,107 253,951 1.13% 28 San Jose 414,855 419,447 1.11% 29 Sacramento 202,442 204,618 1.07% 30 Boston 272,554 275,239 0.99% 31 Oakland 179,905 181,288 0.77% 32 Philadelphia 583,243 587,541 0.74% 33 Colorado Springs 206,822 208,221 0.68% 34 Fort Worth 291,121 293,048 0.66% 35 San Antonio 587,435 590,477 0.52% 36 Chicago 1,262,911 1,268,725 0.46% 37 San Diego 651,432 654,429 0.46% 38 Milwaukee 249,584 250,597 0.41% 39 El Paso 238,422 239,346 0.39% 40 New York 3,608,274 3,621,023 0.35% 41 St. Louis 147,300 147,750 0.31% 42 Kansas City 221,916 222,405 0.22% 43 Fresno 210,293 210,557 0.13% 44 Minneapolis 208,989 209,184 0.09% 45 Tulsa 198,212 198,284 0.04% 46 Honolulu 439,038 438,835-0.05% 47 Cleveland 175,604 175,188-0.24% 48 Baltimore 262,700 261,129-0.60% 49 Indianapolis 413,493 409,035-1.08% 50 Detroit 318,180 313,933-1.33%
Table 2 - Employment Growth in the 50 Largest Cities: 2004 to 2007 Rank City 2004 2007 % change 1 Mesa City (AZ) 222,064 251,031 13.04% 2 Phoenix 730,833 826,163 13.04% 3 Albuquerque 233,055 257,558 10.51% 4 Atlanta 196,836 217,494 10.50% 5 Miami 148,041 162,986 10.10% 6 Seattle 320,498 352,172 9.88% 7 Fort Worth 266,725 293,048 9.87% 8 Memphis 276,213 302,244 9.42% 9 Charlotte 308,493 335,942 8.90% 10 Jacksonville 370,054 401,633 8.53% 11 Wichita 171,449 184,381 7.54% 12 Nashville 288,397 308,276 6.89% 13 San Antonio 553,112 590,477 6.76% 14 Denver 285,559 304,795 6.74% 15 Tucson 241,443 257,351 6.59% 16 Colorado Springs 195,570 208,221 6.47% 17 Honolulu 414,652 438,835 5.83% 18 Las Vegas 269,852 285,299 5.72% 19 Louisville 330,214 348,424 5.51% 20 Portland 275,315 289,211 5.05% 21 Long Beach 215,113 225,954 5.04% 22 Los Angeles 1,736,262 1,823,763 5.04% 23 Fresno 200,884 210,557 4.82% 24 Omaha 211,324 221,395 4.77% 25 Austin 387,859 406,302 4.76% 26 New York 3,458,920 3,621,023 4.69% 27 Columbus 381,309 398,773 4.58% 28 Virginia Beach 212,748 222,466 4.57% 29 Tulsa 189,790 198,284 4.48% 30 Washington, D.C. 286,177 298,874 4.44% 31 San Jose 401,943 419,447 4.35% 32 Chicago 1,216,365 1,268,725 4.30% 33 Sacramento 196,376 204,618 4.20% 34 San Francisco 396,785 411,283 3.65% 35 Baltimore 253,290 261,129 3.09% 36 Kansas City 216,077 222,405 2.93% 37 San Diego 636,210 654,429 2.86% 38 Oklahoma City 247,029 253,951 2.80% 39 Indianapolis 399,945 409,035 2.27% 40 El Paso 234,197 239,346 2.20% 41 Oakland 177,399 181,288 2.19% 42 Philadelphia 576,113 587,541 1.98% 43 Dallas 573,680 583,565 1.72% 44 Boston 271,235 275,239 1.48% 45 Houston 955,474 969,083 1.42% 46 Milwaukee 248,231 250,597 0.95% 47 Minneapolis 209,107 209,184 0.04% 48 St. Louis 147,781 147,750-0.02% 49 Cleveland 176,978 175,188-1.01% 50 Detroit 322,427 313,933-2.63%
Table 3 - Employment Growth in the 50 Largest Cities: 2000 to 2007 Rank City 2000 2007 % change 1 Mesa City (AZ) 202,082 251,031 24.22% 2 Phoenix 665,069 826,163 24.22% 3 Las Vegas 234,781 285,299 21.52% 4 Fort Worth 254,738 293,048 15.04% 5 San Antonio 517,820 590,477 14.03% 6 Tucson 226,226 257,351 13.76% 7 Charlotte 296,167 335,942 13.43% 8 Sacramento 180,668 204,618 13.26% 9 Atlanta 193,103 217,494 12.63% 10 Albuquerque 230,157 257,558 11.91% 11 San Diego 585,378 654,429 11.80% 12 Virginia Beach 199,480 222,466 11.52% 13 Seattle 317,128 352,172 11.05% 14 Miami 146,899 162,986 10.95% 15 Colorado Springs 187,750 208,221 10.90% 16 El Paso 220,247 239,346 8.67% 17 Jacksonville 370,857 401,633 8.30% 18 Wichita 170,283 184,381 8.28% 19 Fresno 196,082 210,557 7.38% 20 Honolulu 411,295 438,835 6.70% 21 Omaha 208,099 221,395 6.39% 22 Houston 911,720 969,083 6.29% 23 Los Angeles 1,717,667 1,823,763 6.18% 24 Long Beach 212,810 225,954 6.18% 25 New York 3,433,593 3,621,023 5.46% 26 Oklahoma City 243,708 253,951 4.20% 27 Austin 389,928 406,302 4.20% 28 Columbus 383,025 398,773 4.11% 29 Memphis 291,561 302,244 3.66% 30 Washington, D.C. 291,362 298,874 2.58% 31 Nashville 300,860 308,276 2.46% 32 Denver 298,722 304,795 2.03% 33 Louisville 347,041 348,424 0.40% 34 Indianapolis 408,209 409,035 0.20% 35 Tulsa 198,225 198,284 0.03% 36 Portland 290,916 289,211-0.59% 37 Baltimore 262,766 261,129-0.62% 38 Kansas City 225,554 222,405-1.40% 39 Philadelphia 595,914 587,541-1.41% 40 Dallas 591,985 583,565-1.42% 41 Chicago 1,297,288 1,268,725-2.20% 42 Oakland 186,399 181,288-2.74% 43 St. Louis 153,518 147,750-3.76% 44 Minneapolis 217,534 209,184-3.84% 45 Boston 292,534 275,239-5.91% 46 Milwaukee 266,668 250,597-6.03% 47 Cleveland 188,106 175,188-6.87% 48 San Francisco 456,618 411,283-9.93% 49 Detroit 350,070 313,933-10.32% 50 San Jose 475,661 419,447-11.82%
Table 4 - Employment Growth in the 20 Largest Frostbelt Cities 2006-2007 City Rank 2006 2007 % change 1 Wichita 177,150 184,381 4.08% 2 Omaha 216,683 221,395 2.17% 3 Columbus 393,298 398,773 1.39% 4 Washington, D.C. 294,834 298,874 1.37% 5 Boston 272,554 275,239 0.99% 6 Cincinnati 146894 147983 0.74% 7 Philadelphia 583,243 587,541 0.74% 8 Chicago 1,262,911 1,268,725 0.46% 9 Milwaukee 249,584 250,597 0.41% 10 New York 3,608,274 3,621,023 0.35% 11 Pittsburgh 145506 145978 0.32% 12 St. Louis 147,300 147,750 0.31% 13 Kansas City 221,916 222,405 0.22% 14 St. Paul (MN) 140101 140232 0.09% 15 Minneapolis 208,989 209,184 0.09% 16 Cleveland 175,604 175,188-0.24% 17 Baltimore 262,700 261,129-0.60% 18 Buffalo 115293 114274-0.88% 19 Indianapolis 413,493 409,035-1.08% 20 Detroit 318,180 313,933-1.33%
Table 5- Employment Growth in the 20 Largest Frostbelt Cities 2004 to 2007 City Rank 2004 2007 % change 1 Wichita 171,449 184,381 7.54% 2 Omaha 211,324 221,395 4.77% 3 New York 3,458,920 3,621,023 4.69% 4 Columbus 381,309 398,773 4.58% 5 Washington, D.C. 286,177 298,874 4.44% 6 Chicago 1,216,365 1,268,725 4.30% 7 Baltimore 253,290 261,129 3.09% 8 Kansas City 216,077 222,405 2.93% 9 Indianapolis 399,945 409,035 2.27% 10 Philadelphia 576,113 587,541 1.98% 11 Cincinnati 145583 147983 1.65% 12 Boston 271,235 275,239 1.48% 13 Milwaukee 248,231 250,597 0.95% 14 Pittsburgh 145172 145978 0.56% 15 Minneapolis 209,107 209,184 0.04% 16 St. Louis 147,781 147,750-0.02% 17 St. Paul (MN) 140493 140232-0.19% 18 Buffalo 115393 114274-0.97% 19 Cleveland 176,978 175,188-1.01% 20 Detroit 322,427 313,933-2.63%
Table 6- Employment Growth in the Twenty Largest Frostbelt Cities 2000 to 2007 City Rank 2000 2007 % change 1 Wichita 170,283 184,381 8.28% 2 Omaha 208,099 221,395 6.39% 3 New York 3,433,593 3,621,023 5.46% 4 Columbus 383,025 398,773 4.11% 5 Washington, D.C. 291,362 298,874 2.58% 6 Indianapolis 408,209 409,035 0.20% 7 Baltimore 262,766 261,129-0.62% 8 Kansas City 225,554 222,405-1.40% 9 Philadelphia 595,914 587,541-1.41% 10 Pittsburgh 149103 145978-2.10% 11 Cincinnati 151221 147983-2.14% 12 Chicago 1,297,288 1,268,725-2.20% 13 Buffalo 117555 114274-2.79% 14 St. Louis 153,518 147,750-3.76% 15 Minneapolis 217,534 209,184-3.84% 16 St. Paul (MN) 148080 140232-5.30% 17 Boston 292,534 275,239-5.91% 18 Milwaukee 266,668 250,597-6.03% 19 Cleveland 188,106 175,188-6.87% 20 Detroit 350,070 313,933-10.32%
Table 7 -- Unemployment Rates in the 50 Largest Cities Rank City 2000 2004 2006 2007 1 Honolulu 4.0 3.2 2.3 2.6% 2 Mesa City 3.1 4.0 3.2 2.6% 3 Virginia Beach 2.2 3.3 3.2 2.6% 4 Albuquerque 4.0 5.2 3.5 3.1% 5 Omaha 3.1 4.6 2.6 3.1% 6 Phoenix 4.0 5.2 4.2 3.4% 7 Austin 3.2 5.2 3.7 3.5% 8 Nashville 3.3 4.6 3.8 3.6% 9 Seattle 4.4 5.4 4.2 3.7% 10 Tucson 4.2 5.1 4.5 3.7% 11 Jacksonville 3.5 4.7 3.5 4.0% 12 Charlotte 3.2 5.1 4.1 4.1% 13 San Antonio 4.3 5.7 4.3 4.1% 14 Colorado Springs 2.8 5.3 4.3 4.2% 15 Denver 3.0 6.1 4.6 4.2% 16 Indianapolis 2.2 5.3 4.6 4.2% 17 Tulsa 2.9 4.9 4.0 4.2% 18 Houston 5.0 7.0 4.9 4.3% 19 Miami 6.9 7.3 4.3 4.4% 20 Oklahoma City 2.8 4.7 4.1 4.4% 21 San Francisco 3.3 5.3 4.0 4.4% 22 Wichita 4.5 6.5 4.9 4.5% 23 Fort Worth 4.7 6.8 4.9 4.6% 24 Boston 3.1 5.6 5.5 4.7% 25 Dallas 4.7 7.5 5.0 4.7% 26 Portland 4.4 6.8 4.8 4.7% 27 San Diego 3.8 4.5 3.9 4.8% 28 Minneapolis 3.4 4.9 4.0 4.9% 29 Columbus 3.6 5.4 4.7 5.0% 30 New York 5.5 6.5 4.4 5.0% 31 Atlanta 5.1 7.4 5.2 5.1% 32 Las Vegas 5.1 4.7 4.2 5.3% 33 Louisville 3.5 4.7 5.4 5.3% 34 Memphis 5.1 7.6 6.0 5.4% 35 El Paso 6.4 6.8 6.2 5.5% 36 San Jose 3.2 6.5 4.8 5.5% 37 Chicago 5.3 7.4 5.0 5.7% 38 Long Beach 5.9 7.0 5.4 5.7% 39 Los Angeles 5.9 7.0 5.2 5.7% 40 Washington, D.C. 5.6 7.2 6.1 5.9% 41 Baltimore 5.9 7.0 6.2 6.0% 42 Philadelphia 5.6 7.1 6.3 6.1% 43 Kansas City 4.0 7.9 7.0 6.6% 44 Sacramento 4.9 6.2 5.4 6.6% 45 Fresno 7.3 7.9 5.9 7.0% 46 St. Louis 5.4 9.3 7.0 7.0% 47 Milwaukee 5.2 7.1 6.6 7.3% 48 Oakland 5.5 8.4 6.6 7.6% 49 Cleveland 7.2 8.0 7.0 8.0% 50 Detroit 7.2 14.2 13.9 14.4%