Connecticut nonfarm payroll jobs increased 4,700 (0.3%) to a level of 1,711,000 in May 2024, while the state's unemployment rate moved lower by one-tenth of one percent to 4.3% (preliminary data, seasonally adjusted). Since May 2023, statewide industry employment is 18,000 (1.1%) positions higher than the May 2023 level of 1,693,000. The state has now recovered 104.3% (303,500) of the 291,100 nonagricultural jobs lost during the March-April 2020 COVID lockdown period. April Connecticut preliminary payroll gains of 1,100 (0.1%) were revised higher by 500 jobs to 1,600 gain on the monthly sample update. The May 2024 unemployment rate dropped one-tenth over-the-month but is one percentage point higher than a year ago (3.3%). The CT Labor Situation includes labor statistics from two different monthly surveys (households and establishments) produced by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in cooperation with the States.
Connecticut's Private Sector employment added 4,200 (0.3%) positions in May 2024 to 1,476,100 and is higher by 15,600 jobs (1.1%) from the May 2023 level (1,460,500). The state's Private Sector has fully recovered (105.5%) from the April 2020 COVID employment lockdown bottom and first surpassed this milestone in January 2023. April's preliminary Private Sector job gain of 300 (0.02%) was upgraded to a 700 (0.1%) job increase. The Government supersector was up by 500 jobs (0.2%) in May to a level of 234,900 jobs and is higher by 2,400 (1.0%) positions from year-ago levels. The public sector is now 90.3% recovered from the overall COVID April 2020 employment low. April 2024 total Government gains of 300 were revised higher by 100. Connecticut's full government supersector includes all civilian federal, state, local, and tribal government employment, including public education and Native American casino jobs located on federally recognized tribal reservations.
Six of the ten major industry supersectors increased jobs in May 2024, while three declined and the Construction and related Mining (gravel) supersector was unchanged.
The seven industry supersectors that added employment or were unchanged in May 2024 included:
CONNECTICUT AND THE UNITED STATES - Seasonally Adjusted
May
April
March
February
May
Over Month
Over Year
2024 P
2024 R
2024
2024
2023
Change
Rate
Change
Rate
CONNECTICUT
1,711,000
1,706,300
1,704,700
1,704,200
1,693,000
4,700
0.3%
18,000
1.1%
Total Private
1,476,100
1,471,900
1,471,200
1,471,200
1,460,500
4,200
0.3%
15,600
1.1%
Goods Producing
Industries
Mining
600
500
500
500
600
100
20.0%
0
0.0%
Construction
63,300
63,400
63,400
62,700
62,100
-100
-0.2%
1,200
1.9%
Manufacturing
158,700
159,200
158,800
158,600
158,400
-500
-0.3%
300
0.2%
Durable Goods
124,500
125,000
124,600
124,300
123,900
-500
-0.4%
600
0.5%
Nondurable Goods
34,200
34,200
34,200
34,300
34,500
0
0.0%
-300
-0.9%
Service
Providing Industries
Trade, Transportation & Utilities
297,900
297,600
297,600
297,200
298,700
300
0.1%
-800
-0.3%
Wholesale
62,300
62,100
61,700
61,200
60,900
200
0.3%
1,400
2.3%
Retail
164,900
164,500
164,800
164,500
167,800
400
0.2%
-2,900
-1.7%
Transp, Warehousing & Utilities
70,700
71,000
71,100
71,500
70,000
-300
-0.4%
700
1.0%
Information
30,300
29,700
29,900
30,000
31,400
600
2.0%
-1,100
-3.5%
Financial Activities
118,800
119,000
118,300
118,500
118,500
-200
-0.2%
300
0.3%
Finance & Insurance
99,100
99,200
98,500
98,700
98,800
-100
-0.1%
300
0.3%
Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
19,700
19,800
19,800
19,800
19,700
-100
-0.5%
0
0.0%
Professional & Business Services
220,700
219,700
219,700
222,400
221,600
1,000
0.5%
-900
-0.4%
Prof, Scientific & Tech Services
101,600
101,100
100,100
100,500
100,500
500
0.5%
1,100
1.1%
Management of Companies
31,700
31,600
31,500
31,700
31,600
100
0.3%
100
0.3%
Admn & Support & Waste Mgt Serv
87,400
87,000
88,100
90,200
89,500
400
0.5%
-2,100
-2.3%
Educational & Health Services
364,800
363,200
362,000
361,200
353,600
1,600
0.4%
11,200
3.2%
Educational Services
73,000
72,500
72,500
72,900
70,600
500
0.7%
2,400
3.4%
Health Care & Social Assistance
291,800
290,700
289,500
288,300
283,000
1,100
0.4%
8,800
3.1%
Leisure and Hospitality
156,900
155,100
155,600
154,600
153,200
1,800
1.2%
3,700
2.4%
Arts, Entertainment & Recreation
29,700
29,200
29,000
28,400
28,100
500
1.7%
1,600
5.7%
Accommodation & Food Services
127,200
125,900
126,600
126,200
125,100
1,300
1.0%
2,100
1.7%
Other Services
64,100
64,500
65,400
65,500
62,400
-400
-0.6%
1,700
2.7%
Government**
234,900
234,400
233,500
233,000
232,500
500
0.2%
2,400
1.0%
UNITED STATES
158,543,000
158,271,000
158,106,000
157,796,000
155,787,000
272,000
0.2%
2,756,000
1.8%
State of Connecticut Department of Labor - Office of Research, 200 Folly Brook Boulevard, Wethersfield, CT 06109 LMI Home | CTDOL Home | Feedback | This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration. (more)
