American Cities That Gained (And Lost) the Most Jobs in 2011

24/7 Wall St: American Cities That Gained (and Lost) Most Jobs

As economic conditions in the country improve, it is not enough to quote national statistics and vague data. Tangible, localized measures often paint a much clearer picture of the recovery across the nation. And one of the best is new jobs growth.

(AP Photo/Don Ryan)

More From 24/7 Wall St.:
The Best and Worst Run Companies in America
The Most Dangerous Cities in the World
Housing Markets that Rose the Most this Year

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

More from this Slideshow

0 of 0

American Cities ... As economic conditions in the country improve, it is not enough to quote national statistics and vague data. Tangible, localized measures often paint a much clearer picture of the recovery across the nation. And one of the best is new jobs growth.

(AP Photo/Don Ryan)

More From 24/7 Wall St.:
The Best and Worst Run Companies in America
The Most Dangerous Cities in the World
Housing Markets that Rose the Most this Year

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Gain: 5. Miami, ... Employed Percent Increase: 4.28 percent
Total Employed Increase: 7,334
Workforce: 201,530
Unemployment Rate: 11.2 percent
In November, 2010, Miami had an unemployment rate of 13.6 percent, the 36th-highest unemployment rate among the largest 250 cities in the U.S. By October of this year, the rate had dropped to 11.2 percent. Over the past 12 months, the city has added more than 7,300 jobs, primarily in the retail sector. According to NPR, there are also plans in the works to develop a $3 billion casino in the city. If a success, the proposed casino, which would become the largest in the world, likely would bring in hundreds — if not thousands — of additional jobs.

(Photo: iStock)

More From 24/7 Wall St.:
The Best and Worst Run Companies in America
The Most Dangerous Cities in the World
Housing Markets that Rose the Most this Year

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Gain: 4. Bakersf... Employed Percent Increase: 4.88 percent
Total Employed Increase: 6,613
Workforce: 156,888
Unemployment Rate: 9.4 percent
At one point, Bakersfield was one of the worst culprits in the ongoing employment crisis in California, which currently has the second-highest unemployment rate in the country. In January 2010, unemployment for Kern county, in which Bakersfield is located, jumped to an astounding 17.1 percent. However, since October of last year, unemployment within the city limits of Bakersfield has dropped from a rate of 11 percent to 9.4 percent. This is still above the national average but well below the state’s rate of 11.7 percent. According to Kern Economic Development Corp. director Melinda Brown, as quoted by Bakersfield.com, “Kern County has actually been one of the most successful counties in California at growing manufacturing jobs.” Brown explained that this was due to the region’s healthy oil and food processing industries.

(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

More From 24/7 Wall St.:
The Best and Worst Run Companies in America
The Most Dangerous Cities in the World
Housing Markets that Rose the Most this Year

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Gain: 3. Springf... Employed Percent Increase: 4.96 percent
Total Employed Increase: 3,610
Workforce: 82,429
Unemployment Rate: 7.4 percent
The employed workforce in Springfield, Mo., jumped nearly 5 percent between November, 2010 and October, 2011. The city has added 3,610 jobs over the course of the past year, and unemployment has dropped to 7.4 percent, below the state rate of 8.5 percent. The city of Springfield says its sales tax revenue increased more than 10 percent from last year. The improvement came in “sectors like restaurants, department stores, and home improvement stores,” according to Ozarksfirst.com. This growth points to a healthy, growing economy — the most important component of job growth.

(Photo: iStock)

More From 24/7 Wall St.:
The Best and Worst Run Companies in America
The Most Dangerous Cities in the World
Housing Markets that Rose the Most this Year

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Gain: 2. Pueblo,... Employed Percent Increase: 5.3 percent
Total Employed Increase: 2,432
Workforce: 53,951
Unemployment Rate: 10.5 percent
As of October 2011, the unemployment rate in Pueblo was 10.5 percent, a full 2.4 percentage points higher than Colorado’s rate. Over that time period, the employed population in the city increased by more than 5 percent. This is a solid improvement from 12 months ago, when 11.7 percent of the city’s workforce was unemployed. In 2010, Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas opened a plant in Pueblo, adding hundreds of new jobs.

(AP Photo/Don Ryan)

More From 24/7 Wall St.:
The Best and Worst Run Companies in America
The Most Dangerous Cities in the World
Housing Markets that Rose the Most this Year

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Gain: 1. Fort Wa... Employed Percent Increase: 6.36 percent
Total Employed Increase: 7,052
Workforce: 129,151
Unemployment Rate: 8.7 percent
In just one year, Fort Wayne has added more than 7,000 jobs, increasing its employed population by some 6.4 percent. The unemployment rate dropped from 10.7 percent to 8.7 percent. Fort Wayne added the 11th most positions in the country, eclipsing the natural job growth of much larger cities like San Antonio, Phoenix and Philadelphia. In fact, the Fort Wayne metro area had the fastest job growth, according to The Fiscal Times. The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette explains that “Fort Wayne — which had a 4 percent increase — continues to benefit from the rebirth of auto manufacturing and high levels of defense spending.”

(Photo: iStock)

More From 24/7 Wall St.:
The Best and Worst Run Companies in America
The Most Dangerous Cities in the World
Housing Markets that Rose the Most this Year

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Lose: 5. Vancouv... Employed Percent Decrease: 2.21 percent
Total Employed Decrease: 1,643
Workforce: 79,958
Unemployment Rate: 9.2 percent
Between November 2010 and October 2011, the Vancouver, Wash., area lost 1,643 jobs, a 2.21 percent decrease. Surprisingly, despite the substantial loss in jobs, the actual unemployment rate has dropped dramatically. This is due to a major decrease in the size of the labor force, or employable people who are in the area and are looking for jobs.

(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

More From 24/7 Wall St.:
The Best and Worst Run Companies in America
The Most Dangerous Cities in the World
Housing Markets that Rose the Most this Year

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Lose: 4. Tacoma,... Employed Percent Decrease: 2.28 percent
Total Employed Decrease: 2,080
Workforce: 98,486
Unemployment Rate: 9.7 percent
Tacoma, which is located approximately 30 miles from downtown Seattle, has had its unemployment rate jump slightly from last year. The city lost more than 2,000 jobs between last November and this October. That loss is the ninth-worst in the country and not indicative of the overall declining unemployment in the state. In some parts of Washington, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Boeing (NYSE: BA), two of the largest employers in the state, have been hiring. Tacoma, however, did not benefit from this growth. Even as the holiday season approaches, the city is considering cutting hundreds of positions among police, firefighters and other public servants.

(AP Photo/Louie Balukoff)

More From 24/7 Wall St.:
The Best and Worst Run Companies in America
The Most Dangerous Cities in the World
Housing Markets that Rose the Most this Year

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Lose: 3. Baton R... Employed Percent Decrease: 2.43 percent
Total Employed Decrease: 2,435
Workforce: 106,391
Unemployment Rate: 8.2 percent
Unemployment in Baton Rouge is up slightly, as the city lost more than 2,400 jobs over the course of the last year. The city has an unemployment rate of 8.2 percent, higher than Louisiana’s rate of 7 percent. According to the Associated Press, a portion of the losses have been in the goods-providing sector. But the largest portion, roughly 1,000 positions, have been in the service-providing sector. In an otherwise successful year for the state of Louisiana, Baton Rouge was the only major city to lose jobs over the course of the last year.

(Photo: iStock)

More From 24/7 Wall St.:
The Best and Worst Run Companies in America
The Most Dangerous Cities in the World
Housing Markets that Rose the Most this Year

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Lose: 2. Spokane... Employed Percent Decrease: 3.61 percent
Total Employed Decrease: 3,437
Workforce: 100,317
Unemployment Rate: 8.6 percent
Spokane is the third city on our list from Washington. This goes to show that, to a certain extent, statewide problems are affecting these local economies. While unemployment in nearly every state in the country declined over the past six measurable months, Washington state had a much smaller decrease than other states, including neighboring California and Oregon. Spokane lost 3,437 jobs last year — the third biggest loss of the 250 largest cities in the U.S. Spokane’s unemployment actually dropped 0.5 percentage points despite the job losses. There have been a series of job losses, including the dismissal of hundreds of census workers, and the firing of 1,000 leisure and hospitality workers in April alone.

(Photo: iStock)

More From 24/7 Wall St.:
The Best and Worst Run Companies in America
The Most Dangerous Cities in the World
Housing Markets that Rose the Most this Year

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Lose: 1. Abilene... Employed Percent Decrease: 5.62 percent
Total Employed Decrease: 3,111
Workforce: 56,106
Unemployment Rate: 6.9 percent
Unemployment in Abilene was 6.9 percent in October, well below the Texas average of 8.4 percent, as well as the national average of 9 percent. The city is, however, doing substantially worse than it was 12 months prior. Unemployment is up from 6.7 percent, and the city has lost 3,111 jobs, the fourth-most loss over that period among the 250 largest cities in the U.S. In May, a cooling tower manufacturing plant owned by Broadwind (NASDAQ: BWEN) laid off dozens of employees. In March, 178 local teachers were fired. These small layoffs and a multitude of others like them have brought unemployment in the state closer to the Texas average.

(Photo: iStock)

More From 24/7 Wall St.:
The Best and Worst Run Companies in America
The Most Dangerous Cities in the World
Housing Markets that Rose the Most this Year

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
More From 24/7 W... 24/7 Wall St. names America's best- and worst-run companies. Click here to see which firms made the list.