Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) is made available by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and offers monthly data on employment and unemployment for approximately 7,500 geographic areas. Unemployment rates are available monthly by county, MSA, and state level.

These estimates are key indicators of local economic conditions, and may be compared over time to examine changes in the labor market.

For more information regarding the LAUS, please refer to www.bls.gov/lau

Compared to September of last year, all of the main Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in California saw an annual increase in the number of job openings and an increase in the searcher-to-job opening ratio.

 

 

 

 

 

Source: BLS

 

The number of job openings in California decreased from 625,696 in August 2015 to 615,711 in September 2015. The median number of job searchers per job opening across all Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and occupations in California also decreased from 1.47 in August 2015 to 1.27 in September 2015.

 

Source: BLS

All 4 of the largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in California experienced a decrease in job openings for the month of August.

Los Angeles – Long Beach – Santa Ana

The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana MSA experienced a decrease of 18,134 job openings in August 2015, a -10.4% change from July 2015.

Month	Total Openings	Percent Monthly Change
Sep-14	112,657	-17.73
Oct-14	121,598	7.94
Nov-14	108,123	-11.08
Dec-14	104,302	-3.53
Jan-15	140,013	34.24
Feb-15	137,967	-1.46
Mar-15	141,983	2.91
Apr-15	164,525	15.88
May-15	152,008	-7.61
Jun-15	148,658	-2.2
Jul-15	174,288	17.24
Aug-15	156,154	-10.4

 

San Francisco – Oakland – Freemont

The San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont MSA experienced a decrease of 9,854 job openings in August 2015, a -10.95% change from July 2015.

Month	Total Openings	Percent Monthly Change
Sep-14	58,567	-15.38
Oct-14	63,065	7.68
Nov-14	56,940	-9.71
Dec-14	54,986	-3.43
Jan-15	72,089	31.11
Feb-15	70,884	-1.67
Mar-15	72,887	2.83
Apr-15	84,472	15.89
May-15	78,232	-7.39
Jun-15	77,039	-1.52
Jul-15	89,946	16.75
Aug-15	80,092	-10.95

Riverside – San Bernardino – Ontario

The Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA experienced a decrease of 6,442 job openings in August 2015, a -9.82% change from July 2015.

Month	Total Openings	Percent Monthly Change
Sep-14	40,018	-22.93
Oct-14	42,870	7.13
Nov-14	38,138	-11.04
Dec-14	37,377	-2
Jan-15	52,811	41.29
Feb-15	52,141	-1.27
Mar-15	53,849	3.27
Apr-15	62,004	15.15
May-15	57,837	-6.72
Jun-15	56,343	-2.58
Jul-15	65,608	16.44
Aug-15	59,166	-9.82

San Diego – Carlsbad – San Marcos

The San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos MSA experienced a decrease of 6,576 job openings in August 2015, a -10.7% change from July 2015.

Month	Total Openings	Percent Monthly Change
Sep-14	41,343	-15.64
Oct-14	44,408	7.41
Nov-14	39,956	-10.02
Dec-14	38,937	-2.55
Jan-15	49,272	26.54
Feb-15	48,492	-1.58
Mar-15	49,955	3.02
Apr-15	57,749	15.6
May-15	53,722	-6.97
Jun-15	52,803	-1.71
Jul-15	61,473	16.42
Aug-15	54,897	-10.7

 

Source: BLS

All four of the largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in Texas experienced a decrease in job openings from July 2015 to August 2015.

Dallas

Dallas experienced a decrease of 12,075 job openings from July 2015 to August 2015, a 10.54% decrease.

Date	Total Openings	Monthly Change	Yearly Change
Aug-15	102,497	-10.54%	43.49%
Jul-15	114,572	16.84%	27.63%
Jun-15	98,055	-1.64%	8.25%
May-15	99,685	-6.84%	17.59%
Apr-15	107,005	15.49%	26.59%
Mar-15	92,653	2.87%	3.43%
Feb-15	90,072	-1.85%	23.93%
Jan-15	91,770	38.18%	29.39%
Dec-14	66,413	-4.20%	-11.31%
Nov-14	69,326	-10.74%	11.28%
Oct-14	77,670	8.74%	19.49%
Sep-14	71,430	-20.43%	-6.57%

Austin

Austin experienced a decrease of 5,002 job openings from July 2015 to August 2015, a 10.34% decrease.

Date	Total Openings	Monthly Change	Yearly Change
Aug-15	43,395	-10.34%	34.13%
Jul-15	48,397	15.94%	26.28%
Jun-15	41,742	-1.41%	7.20%
May-15	42,340	-6.27%	15.22%
Apr-15	45,170	14.25%	24.68%
Mar-15	39,536	3.03%	4.12%
Feb-15	38,372	-1.78%	23.78%
Jan-15	39,066	26.19%	28.32%
Dec-14	30,957	-1.84%	-2.14%
Nov-14	31,539	-9.03%	18.96%
Oct-14	34,670	7.17%	24.53%
Sep-14	32,352	-15.59%	-0.45%

Houston

Houston experienced a decrease of 10,761 job openings from July 2015 to August 2015, a decrease of 10.58%.

Date	Total Openings	Monthly Change	Yearly Change
Aug-15	90,902	-10.58%	42.04%
Jul-15	101,663	15.95%	26.61%
Jun-15	87,680	-1.05%	7.20%
May-15	88,612	-6.05%	17.32%
Apr-15	94,317	14.01%	24.76%
Mar-15	82,726	3.76%	3.78%
Feb-15	79,730	-2.12%	20.96%
Jan-15	81,454	35.88%	28.02%
Dec-14	59,945	-3.04%	-10.92%
Nov-14	61,824	-11.15%	10.35%
Oct-14	69,582	8.73%	19.68%
Sep-14	63,998	-20.30%	-5.99%

San Antonio

San Antonio has experienced a decrease of 4,229 job openings from July 2015 to August 2015, a decrease of 9.5%.

Date	Total Openings	Monthly Change	Yearly Change
Aug-15	40,261	-9.50%	39.77%
Jul-15	44,490	16.80%	22.88%
Jun-15	38,089	-2.36%	5.32%
May-15	39,009	-7.10%	14.34%
Apr-15	41,990	15.00%	23.40%
Mar-15	36,512	2.73%	1.38%
Feb-15	35,543	-1.08%	22.30%
Jan-15	35,932	34.70%	26.88%
Dec-14	26,676	-3.61%	-10.95%
Nov-14	27,676	-11.80%	12.69%
Oct-14	31,377	8.93%	21.21%
Sep-14	28,805	-20.44%	-4.98%

 

Source: BLS

The number of job openings in Texas for STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) jobs increased from 48,441 in June to 56,433 in July 2015. The searcher-to-job opening ratio decreased from 1.73 to 1.67 in the same span.

Our definition of STEM jobs: http://www.employstats.com/blog/2014/09/19/growing-national-interest-in-stem-fields-has-focused-our-research/

Source: BLS

Image source: http://projecttomorrowblog.blogspot.com/2013/11/i-am-scientist.html

The top three occupations with the most new job openings in Texas for the month of July were Driver/Sales Workers and Truck Drivers with 1,084 new openings, Managers with 1,061 new openings, and Cashiers with 1,145 new openings.

July 2015

Occupation	Total Openings	New Openings
Driver/Sales Workers and Truck Drivers	7,552	1,084
Managers	7,951	1,061
Cashiers	7,149	1,145

Source: BLS

Compared to June of last year, all of the main Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in California saw an annual increase in the number of job openings and decrease in the searcher-to-job opening ratio.

Source: BLS

The number of job openings in California decreased from 610,591 in May 2015 to 598,171 in June 2015. The median number of job searchers per job opening across all Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and occupations in California increased from 1.62 in May 2015 to 1.63 in June 2015.

Source: BLS

All four largest MSAs (metropolitan statistical areas) in Texas experienced a decrease in job openings from May 2015 to June 2015.

Dallas

Dallas experienced a decrease of 1,630 job openings from May 2015 to June 2015, a 1.64% decrease.

Date	Total Openings	Monthly Change	Yearly Change
June 2015	98,055	-1.64%	8.25%
May 2015	99,685	-7.56%	17.59%
April 2015	107,841	16.39%	27.58%
March 2015	92,653	2.87%	3.43%
February 2015	90,072	-1.85%	23.93%
January 2015	91,770	38.18%	29.39%
December 2014	66,413	-4.20%	-11.31%
November 2014	69,326	-10.74%	11.28%
October 2014	77,670	8.74%	19.49%
September 2014	71,430	-20.43%	-6.57%
August 2014	89,770	-0.90%	27.29%
July 2014	90,586	6.86%	28.67%

Austin

Austin experienced a decrease of 598 job openings from May 2015 to June 2015, a 1.41% decrease.

Date	Total Openings	Monthly Change	Yearly Change
June 2015	41,742	-1.41%	7.20%
May 2015	42,340	-6.97%	15.22%
April 2015	45,514	15.12%	25.63%
March 2015	39,536	3.03%	4.12%
February 2015	38,372	-1.78%	23.78%
January 2015	39,066	26.19%	28.32%
December 2014	30,957	-1.84%	-2.14%
November 2014	31,539	-9.03%	18.96%
October 2014	34,670	7.17%	24.53%
September 2014	32,352	-15.59%	-0.45%
August 2014	38,327	-1.57%	28.78%
July 2014	38,938	5.96%	28.50%

Houston

Houston experienced a decrease of 932 job openings from May 2015 to June 2015, a 1.05% decrease.

Date	Total Openings	Monthly Change	Yearly Change
June 2015	87,680	-1.05%	7.20%
May 2015	88,612	-7.15%	17.32%
April 2015	95,434	15.36%	26.24%
March 2015	82,726	3.76%	3.78%
February 2015	79,730	-2.12%	20.96%
January 2015	81,454	35.88%	28.02%
December 2014	59,945	-3.04%	-10.92%
November 2014	61,824	-11.15%	10.35%
October 2014	69,582	8.73%	19.68%
September 2014	63,998	-20.30%	-5.99%
August 2014	80,299	-1.83%	27.86%
July 2014	81,792	8.29%	29.66%

San Antonio

San Antonio experienced a decrease of 920 job openings from May 2015 to June 2015, a 2.36% decrease.

Date	Total Openings	Monthly Change	Yearly Change
June 2015	38,089	-2.36%	5.32%
May 2015	39,009	-8.05%	14.34%
April 2015	42,425	16.19%	24.67%
March 2015	36,512	2.73%	1.38%
February 2015	35,543	-1.08%	22.30%
January 2015	35,932	34.70%	26.88%
December 2014	26,676	-3.61%	-10.95%
November 2014	27,676	-11.80%	12.69%
October 2014	31,377	8.93%	21.21%
September 2014	28,805	-20.44%	-4.98%
August 2014	36,207	0.12%	27.65%
July 2014	36,164	6.00%	27.85%

 

Source: BLS