Austin ranks 10th in the U.S. in job creation

The Austin area added 6,200 private-sector jobs in the 12-month period between November 2007 and November 2008—the 10th biggest gain in metro employment in the country—according to figures released Tuesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Texas is showing considerable resilience amid a crippled national economy. The two largest markets in the state—Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth—registered the nation’s biggest private-sector employment gains.

The Houston area added 42,400 jobs between November 2007 and November 2008, and Dallas-Fort Worth picked up 35,100. No other U.S. market gained more than 15,600 private-sector jobs during the 12-month period.

All four of Texas’ major metro areas ranked among the top 10 in job creation in the last year. San Antonio was No. 4 with 11,700 new jobs.

But the rest of the country isn’t faring nearly so well. Just one-fifth of the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas managed to add any jobs at all. Seventy-eight suffered losses, 21 posted increases, and one was unchanged.

Detroit was hit with the biggest loss of private-sector jobs, 67,700 in 12 months. November 2008 brought the 38th straight monthly decline for Detroit.

Four other markets lost more than 50,000 private-sector jobs during the past year: Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami-Fort Lauderdale and Phoenix.

The following are the 100 biggest labor markets in America, ranked according to raw change in private-sector employment between November 2007 and November 2008:

1. Houston, up 42,400 jobs

2. Dallas-Fort Worth, up 35,100 jobs

3. Washington, up 15,600 jobs

4. San Antonio, up 11,700 jobs

5. Seattle, up 9,900 jobs

6. Virginia Beach-Norfolk, up 9,100 jobs

7. Oklahoma City, up 8,100 jobs

8. New Orleans, up 7,200 jobs

9. McAllen-Edinburg, Texas, up 6,700 jobs

10. Austin, up 6,200 jobs

11. Boston, up 4,600 jobs

11. Raleigh, up 4,600 jobs

13. El Paso, Texas, up 4,100 jobs

14. Hartford, up 3,600 jobs

15. Columbus, up 2,900 jobs

16. Baton Rouge, La., up 2,800 jobs

17. Bakersfield, Calif., up 2,000 jobs

18. Omaha, up 1,100 jobs

19. Youngstown, Ohio, up 500 jobs

20. New Haven, Conn., up 300 jobs

21. Des Moines, Iowa, up 200 jobs

22. Poughkeepsie, N.Y., no change

23. Greensboro, down 100 jobs

24. Baltimore, down 200 jobs

25. Albany, down 500 jobs

25. Syracuse, N.Y., down 500 jobs

25. Tulsa, down 500 jobs

28. Little Rock, Ark., down 1,000 jobs

28. Modesto, Calif., down 1,000 jobs

28. Pittsburgh, down 1,000 jobs

31. Wichita, Kans., down 1,300 jobs

32. Greenville, S.C., down 1,600 jobs

33. Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, Pa., down 1,700 jobs

34. Portland, Maine, down 1,900 jobs

35. Bridgeport-Stamford, Conn., down 2,000 jobs

36. Chattanooga, Tenn., down 2,300 jobs

37. Birmingham, down 2,400 jobs

37. Springfield, Mass., down 2,400 jobs

39. Akron, Ohio, down 2,500 jobs

39. Jackson, Miss., down 2,500 jobs

41. Charlotte, down 2,600 jobs

41. Grand Rapids, down 2,600 jobs

41. Stockton, Calif., down 2,600 jobs

44. Ogden, Utah, down 2,800 jobs

45. Daytona Beach, Fla., down 3,000 jobs

45. Fresno, Calif., down 3,000 jobs

47. Knoxville, Tenn., down 3,200 jobs

48. Worcester, Mass., down 3,300 jobs

49. Allentown-Bethlehem, Pa., down 3,400 jobs

49. Indianapolis, down 3,400 jobs