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 September 2010 For further information contact: Lisa Heuler Williams Telephone: 414-229-6155 E-Mail: heuler@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, Local Area Unemployment 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 normally displays year-over-year total employment for three different time periods: a) the most recent year (2009-2010), b) June 2008 June 2010, thereby encompassing a large portion of the current recession 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. Change in Format of Monthly Employment Watch In the past, has reported each month the latest preliminary data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics. However, the preliminary data are corrected and revised by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in subsequent months, and these changes often significantly affect the rankings of cities in our tables. Consequently, we will now use the revised data from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics in The Monthly Employment Watch. In practice, this will result in an additional one-month lag in the reported employment data; for example in this September 2010 report, instead of using the newly available July 2010 preliminary employment data, we will use the revised and corrected June 2010 BLS numbers (the most recent revised data). Although we may sacrifice a month of timeliness in the data, we believe that using the revised numbers will make The Monthly Employment Watch a more reliable, and less potentially misleading, presentation of the relative employment performance of cities.
The Monthly Employment Watch: June The National Bureau of Economic Research, which is responsible for the dating of business cycles, has announced that the decline in business activity in the United States that began in December 2007 reached a trough in June 2009. Thus, the recent recession, which lasted 18 months, was the longest recession since World War II. A new downturn in economic activity would represent a new recession, not a continuation of the most recent recession. On the heels of the announcement of that the recession ended more than a year ago, recent employment data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for June 2010 reveal continuing distress in the city of Milwaukee labor market. June 2010 marked the 26th consecutive month of over-the-year employment decline in the city; employment has fallen in 28 of the last 29 months and the unemployment rate ticked upward again in June. Although the rate of over-the-year employment losses has slowed (see Figure 1), the reality is that two and half years after the recession began, and one year after the recession ended, the city of Milwaukee continues to hemorrhage employment. Milwaukee continues to be among the nation s big cities hardest hit by the Great Recession and its after-effects. In the past year, Milwaukee ranks 45th of the nation s 50 largest cities in employment performance, posting a decline of 2.06 percent. Between June 2008-2010, Milwaukee s performance ranks 44th, with an employment loss of over 16,000 (nearly seven percent). Among the nation s 20 largest Frostbelt cities the historically industrial metropolises of the Northeast-Midwest Milwaukee ranks towards the bottom as well in employment performance during the Great Recession: 19th of the 20 during both the 2009-2010 time period and 17 th of the 20 during the 2008-2010 time period.
Figure 1 Milwaukee: Monthly Over-the-Year Employment Change
Table 1: Monthly Year-over-Year Employment Change in the City of Milwaukee* Month Employment Change % Change January (2007-2008) -390-0.2 February -1,197-0.5 March -215-0.1 April 974 0.4 May -225-0.1 June -861-0.3 July -456-0.2 August -419-0.2 September -991-0.4 October -915-0.4 November -3,430-1.3 December -4,394-1.7 January (2008-2009) -7,017-2.7 February -7,781-3.0 March -10,977-4.3 April -11,143-4.3 May -10,850-4.2 June -11,727-4.5 July -13,496-5.2 August -14,061-5.4 September -14,321-5.5 October -14,923-5.7 November -13,379-5.2 December -14,841-5.8 January (2009-2010) -10,962-4.4 February -8,638-3.5 March -7,582-3.1 April -5,585-2.3 May -4,425-1.8 June -5,118-2.1 * These figures vary from earlier Monthly Employment Watch tables, which reported preliminary BLS monthly employment estimates. The data in Table 1 reflect revisions and re-estimates by BLS and are considered more accurate.
Figure 2 Milwaukee Unemployment Rate (2008 present)
Table 2 -- Employment Growth in the Nation s 50 Largest Cities: 2009-2010 Rank City June 2009 June 2010 % Change 1 Charlotte 309,723 317,193 2.41% 2 Austin 393,601 402,913 2.37% 3 Minneapolis 201,495 206,026 2.25% 4 Dallas 542,941 554,580 2.14% 5 Washington, D.C. 300,401 304,205 1.27% 6 Nashville 293,042 296,593 1.21% 7 Honolulu 418,193 422,942 1.14% 8 Miami 166,864 168,643 1.07% 9 Fort Worth 303,224 306,332 1.02% 10 El Paso 239,355 241,681 0.97% 11 Fresno 198,695 200,572 0.94% 12 Detroit 281,933 284,470 0.90% 13 Phoenix 775,208 780,810 0.72% 14 Mesa City 235,548 237,250 0.72% 15 Boston 289,534 291,014 0.51% 16 San Diego 626,396 628,472 0.33% 17 San Jose 403,584 404,906 0.33% 18 Portland 274,848 275,480 0.23% 19 San Antonio 596,560 597,639 0.18% 20 Seattle 347,385 347,904 0.15% 21 Houston 995,967 997,215 0.13% 22 New York 3,608,759 3,613,114 0.12% 23 Tucson 257,686 257,353-0.13% 24 Louisville 332,757 332,269-0.15% 25 Oklahoma City 244,287 243,095-0.49% 26 Chicago 1,185,231 1,178,860-0.54% 27 Cleveland 164,644 163,568-0.65% 28 Jacksonville 378,022 375,405-0.69% 29 Omaha 224,016 222,401-0.72% 30 Memphis 277,307 275,184-0.77% 31 Albuquerque 245,237 243,309-0.79% 32 St. Louis 141,804 140,445-0.96% 33 Virginia Beach 215,752 213,150-1.21% 34 San Francisco 415,782 410,191-1.34% 35 Sacramento 189,396 186,618-1.47% 36 Oakland 171,115 168,562-1.49% 37 Columbus 393,638 387,233-1.63% 38 Wichita 179,787 176,586-1.78% 39 Long Beach 207,242 203,485-1.81% 40 Los Angeles 1,672,730 1,642,404-1.81% 41 Baltimore 252,488 247,907-1.81% 42 Philadelphia 568,740 557,914-1.90% 43 Kansas City 207,637 203,607-1.94% 44 Tulsa 179,205 175,617-2.00% 45 Milwaukee 248,557 243,439-2.06% 46 Atlanta 212,291 207,700-2.16% 47 Colorado Springs 199,063 194,539-2.27% 48 Denver 297,375 290,241-2.40% 49 Las Vegas 250,521 241,408-3.64% 50 Indianapolis 387,220 371,037-4.18%
Table 3 - Employment Growth in the Nation s 50 Largest Cities: 2008-2010 Rank City June 2008 June 2010 % Change 1 Austin 392,692 402,913 2.60% 2 El Paso 237,410 241,681 1.80% 3 San Antonio 595,082 597,639 0.43% 4 Dallas 554,992 554,580-0.07% 5 Fort Worth 307,187 306,332-0.28% 6 Houston 1,000,736 997,215-0.35% 7 Minneapolis 207,266 206,026-0.60% 8 Tucson 259,594 257,353-0.86% 9 Seattle 354,741 347,904-1.93% 10 Miami 172,084 168,643-2.00% 11 Oklahoma City 248,423 243,095-2.14% 12 Honolulu 433,276 422,942-2.39% 13 New York 3,709,454 3,613,114-2.60% 14 Boston 299,076 291,014-2.70% 15 Mesa City 244,052 237,250-2.79% 16 Phoenix 803,197 780,810-2.79% 17 Louisville 341,914 332,269-2.82% 18 Washington, D.C. 314,801 304,205-3.37% 19 Columbus 401,222 387,233-3.49% 20 Virginia Beach 221,019 213,150-3.56% 21 Omaha 230,993 222,401-3.72% 22 San Diego 654,356 628,472-3.96% 23 Fresno 208,952 200,572-4.01% 24 Nashville 309,115 296,593-4.05% 25 Portland 287,679 275,480-4.24% 26 Albuquerque 255,932 243,309-4.93% 27 Cleveland 172,054 163,568-4.93% 28 Memphis 289,687 275,184-5.01% 29 San Jose 426,372 404,906-5.03% 30 Philadelphia 587,694 557,914-5.07% 31 Wichita 186,160 176,586-5.14% 32 St. Louis 148,323 140,445-5.31% 33 Chicago 1,247,803 1,178,860-5.53% 34 Tulsa 185,979 175,617-5.57% 35 Sacramento 197,931 186,618-5.72% 36 Jacksonville 398,291 375,405-5.75% 37 San Francisco 435,652 410,191-5.84% 38 Colorado Springs 206,864 194,539-5.96% 39 Baltimore 264,314 247,907-6.21% 40 Charlotte 338,444 317,193-6.28% 41 Oakland 179,993 168,562-6.35% 42 Long Beach 217,405 203,485-6.40% 43 Los Angeles 1,754,758 1,642,404-6.40% 44 Milwaukee 260,284 243,439-6.47% 45 Denver 310,469 290,241-6.52% 46 Detroit 308,232 284,470-7.71% 47 Atlanta 225,377 207,700-7.84% 48 Las Vegas 263,161 241,408-8.27% 49 Kansas City 221,997 203,607-8.28% 50 Indianapolis 408,943 371,037-9.27%
Table 4 - Employment Growth in the Nation s 50 Largest Cities: 2000 2010 Rank City June 2000 June 2010 % Change 1 Fort Worth 256,014 306,332 19.65% 2 Phoenix 660,092 780,810 18.29% 3 Mesa City 200,570 237,250 18.29% 4 San Antonio 520,772 597,639 14.76% 5 Miami 147,063 168,643 14.67% 6 Tucson 227,785 257,353 12.98% 7 El Paso 218,889 241,681 10.41% 8 Houston 912,287 997,215 9.31% 9 Seattle 322,670 347,904 7.82% 10 Atlanta 193,144 207,700 7.54% 11 San Diego 587,397 628,472 6.99% 12 Albuquerque 228,492 243,309 6.48% 13 Fresno 188,358 200,572 6.48% 14 Charlotte 298,884 317,193 6.13% 15 Virginia Beach 201,372 213,150 5.85% 16 Omaha 210,161 222,401 5.82% 17 New York 3,452,863 3,613,114 4.64% 18 Las Vegas 232,005 241,408 4.05% 19 Austin 387,588 402,913 3.95% 20 Washington, D.C. 292,672 304,205 3.94% 21 Colorado Springs 187,712 194,539 3.64% 22 Sacramento 180,862 186,618 3.18% 23 Wichita 173,627 176,586 1.70% 24 Honolulu 416,416 422,942 1.57% 25 Jacksonville 369,982 375,405 1.47% 26 Columbus 386,027 387,233 0.31% 27 Oklahoma City 245,657 243,095-1.04% 28 Boston 296,420 291,014-1.82% 29 Nashville 302,739 296,593-2.03% 30 Denver 297,779 290,241-2.53% 31 Long Beach 211,252 203,485-3.68% 32 Los Angeles 1,705,100 1,642,404-3.68% 33 Portland 291,513 275,480-5.50% 34 Memphis 292,834 275,184-6.03% 35 Minneapolis 219,246 206,026-6.03% 36 Louisville 354,630 332,269-6.31% 37 Dallas 592,726 554,580-6.44% 38 Baltimore 266,023 247,907-6.81% 39 Philadelphia 602,639 557,914-7.42% 40 Oakland 186,057 168,562-9.40% 41 San Francisco 453,494 410,191-9.55% 42 St. Louis 155,551 140,445-9.71% 43 Milwaukee 271,198 243,439-10.24% 44 Chicago 1,322,727 1,178,860-10.88% 45 Indianapolis 416,508 371,037-10.92% 46 Kansas City 228,575 203,607-10.92% 47 Tulsa 201,189 175,617-12.71% 48 San Jose 471,084 404,906-14.05% 49 Cleveland 190,891 163,568-14.31% 50 Detroit 355,920 284,470-20.07%
Table 5 - Employment Growth in the 20 Largest Frostbelt Cities 2009-2010 Rank City June 2009 June 2010 % Change 1 Minneapolis 201,495 206,026 2.25% 2 St. Paul (MN) 133,828 136,837 2.25% 3 Washington, D.C. 300,401 304,205 1.27% 4 Detroit 281,933 284,470 0.90% 5 Boston 289,534 291,014 0.51% 6 Buffalo 112,153 112,466 0.28% 7 New York 3,608,759 3,613,114 0.12% 8 Chicago 1,185,231 1,178,860-0.54% 9 Cleveland 164,644 163,568-0.65% 10 Omaha 224,016 222,401-0.72% 11 Pittsburgh 143,961 142,754-0.84% 12 St. Louis 141,804 140,445-0.96% 13 Cincinnati 150,297 148,531-1.18% 14 Columbus 393,638 387,233-1.63% 15 Wichita 179,787 176,586-1.78% 16 Baltimore 252,488 247,907-1.81% 17 Philadelphia 568,740 557,914-1.90% 18 Kansas City 207,637 203,607-1.94% 19 Milwaukee 248,557 243,439-2.06% 20 Indianapolis 387,220 371,037-4.18%
Table 6- Employment Growth in the 20 Largest Frostbelt Cities 2008-2010 Rank City June 2008 June 2010 % Change 1 St. Paul (MN) 137,660 136,837-0.60% 2 Minneapolis 207,266 206,026-0.60% 3 New York 3,709,454 3,613,114-2.60% 4 Boston 299,076 291,014-2.70% 5 Buffalo 115,933 112,466-2.99% 6 Pittsburgh 147,704 142,754-3.35% 7 Washington, D.C. 314,801 304,205-3.37% 8 Columbus 401,222 387,233-3.49% 9 Omaha 230,993 222,401-3.72% 10 Cincinnati 155,501 148,531-4.48% 11 Cleveland 172,054 163,568-4.93% 12 Philadelphia 587,694 557,914-5.07% 13 Wichita 186,160 176,586-5.14% 14 St. Louis 148,323 140,445-5.31% 15 Chicago 1,247,803 1,178,860-5.53% 16 Baltimore 264,314 247,907-6.21% 17 Milwaukee 260,284 243,439-6.47% 18 Detroit 308,232 284,470-7.71% 19 Kansas City 221,997 203,607-8.28% 20 Indianapolis 408,943 371,037-9.27%
Table 7- Employment Growth in the 20 Largest Frostbelt Cities 2000-2010 Rank City June 2000 June 2010 % Change 1 Omaha 210,161 222,401 5.82% 2 New York 3,452,863 3,613,114 4.64% 3 Washington, D.C. 292,672 304,205 3.94% 4 Wichita 173,627 176,586 1.70% 5 Columbus 386,027 387,233 0.31% 6 Boston 296,420 291,014-1.82% 7 Cincinnati 152,536 148,531-2.63% 8 Pittsburgh 150,347 142,754-5.05% 9 Minneapolis 219,246 206,026-6.03% 10 Buffalo 119,967 112,466-6.25% 11 Baltimore 266,023 247,907-6.81% 12 Philadelphia 602,639 557,914-7.42% 13 St. Paul (MN) 149,246 136,837-8.31% 14 St. Louis 155,551 140,445-9.71% 15 Milwaukee 271,198 243,439-10.24% 16 Chicago 1,322,727 1,178,860-10.88% 17 Indianapolis 416,508 371,037-10.92% 18 Kansas City 228,575 203,607-10.92% 19 Cleveland 190,891 163,568-14.31% 20 Detroit 355,920 284,470-20.07%
Table 8 -- Unemployment Rates in the Nation s 50 Largest Cities Rank City June 2000 June 2008 June 2009 June 2010 1 Omaha 3.2 3.6 5.3 5.4 2 Honolulu 4.4 4.2 6.6 5.8 3 Virginia Beach 2.4 3.6 6.4 6.5 4 Oklahoma City 3.4 3.9 6.2 6.6 5 Minneapolis 3.1 5.3 8.5 6.7 6 Austin 3.6 4.3 6.8 6.9 7 San Antonio 4.9 4.8 6.9 7.3 8 Seattle 4.3 4.3 8.3 7.3 9 Tulsa 3.4 3.8 6.9 7.6 10 Mesa City 3.1 4.7 8.1 8.1 11 Albuquerque 4.7 4.4 7.1 8.1 12 Houston 5.5 4.9 7.8 8.5 13 Colorado Springs 3.1 5.6 9.0 8.7 14 Wichita 4.4 4.6 9.9 8.8 15 Denver 3.2 5.3 9.3 8.9 16 Fort Worth 5.1 5.3 8.6 8.9 17 Boston 3.2 5.5 8.7 9.0 18 Nashville 3.6 5.8 9.6 9.0 19 Dallas 5.1 5.6 8.7 9.0 20 Columbus 4.0 5.8 8.8 9.2 21 El Paso 7.0 6.2 9.0 9.2 22 New York 5.4 5.1 9.6 9.5 23 Charlotte 3.5 5.5 10.2 9.5 24 San Francisco 3.7 5.2 9.6 9.6 25 Portland 4.9 5.5 11.3 9.8 26 Tucson 4.3 6.3 9.8 9.9 27 Indianapolis 2.9 5.6 9.5 10.2 28 Kansas City 3.9 7.8 10.5 10.2 29 Phoenix 4.0 6.0 10.3 10.3 30 Louisville 3.8 6.5 10.6 10.3 31 San Diego 4.3 5.9 10.0 10.5 32 Washington, D.C. 5.4 6.5 10.6 10.5 33 Baltimore 6.0 6.7 10.5 10.7 34 Atlanta 5.5 7.4 11.1 11.4 35 Chicago 5.8 7.7 11.7 11.4 36 Milwaukee 6.2 6.8 12.0 11.4 37 Memphis 5.4 7.7 11.7 11.5 38 Jacksonville 3.7 6.2 10.8 11.6 39 Cleveland 8.2 9.4 11.9 11.6 40 Philadelphia 5.6 7.1 10.1 11.9 41 St. Louis 5.3 8.0 12.8 12.3 42 San Jose 3.8 6.6 12.9 12.5 43 Long Beach 6.0 8.0 12.8 13.4 44 Los Angeles 6.0 8.0 12.9 13.5 45 Miami 7.3 7.2 12.3 13.5 46 Sacramento 5.5 8.2 13.5 14.7 47 Fresno 9.3 8.9 14.0 15.0 48 Las Vegas 4.9 6.5 12.8 15.0 49 Oakland 6.2 9.4 16.8 17.2 50 Detroit 7.7 16.1 27.2 24.0