In March, 267 metropolitan areas reported over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment, 96 reported decreases, and 9 had no change. The largest over-the-year employment increase occurred in New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. (+112,500), followed by Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, Texas (+82,300), Dallas- Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas (+70,000), and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif. (+63,100). The largest over-the-year percentage gain in employment was reported in Ocean City, N.J. (+11.1 percent), followed by Lafayette, La., and Odessa, Texas (+9.5 percent each), and Columbus, Ind. (+8.9 percent).

The largest over-the-year decreases in employment occurred in Fort Smith, Ark.-Okla. (-7,300), and Augusta-Richmond County, Ga.-S.C. (-5,900). The largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment was reported in Ithaca, N.Y. (-6.7 percent), followed by Fort Smith, Ark.-Okla. (-6.3 percent), and Dalton, Ga. (-5.7 percent). US Bureau of Labor Statistics

• Net earnings grew 3.0 percent, up from -5.5 percent in 2009.
• Property income grew 2.9 percent,up from -16.7 percent.
• Transfer receipts grew 7.3 percent, down from 14.1 percent.
• Personal income growth ranged from 8.7 percent in Loudoun, Virginia to -2.8 percent in St.Joseph, Indiana.
• Per capita personal income ranged from $111,386 in New York (Manhattan), New York to $20,946 in Hidalgo, Texas. US Bureau of Economic Analysis

To eliminate single month abnormalities or disruptions, the average annual change in earnings over the previous six months was calculated. Before adjusting for inflation, 239 metros (64.2 percent) showed positive earnings growth. After inflation adjustment, the number of metros with real earnings growth dropped to 162 or 43.5 percent. Garner Economics

According to the new July 1, 2011, population estimates released today, the relative growth of many of the nation’s 366 metro areas in the 15-month period from April 2010 to July 2011 differed markedly from that observed between 2000 and 2010. One such example was Palm Coast, Fla., which was the fastest-growing metro area between 2000 and 2010, but fell to 55th place between 2010 and 2011. Similarly, Las Vegas, the third fastest-growing metro area between 2000 and 2010, fell to 151st place. Some metro areas showed less change: St. George, Utah, the second fastest-growing metro area between 2000 and 2010, dropped only to 11th place.

Conversely, New Orleans, which experienced the greatest percentage loss between 2000 and 2010, was 35th in metro area percentage growth between 2010 and 2011. Besides New Orleans, there were nine metro areas that were not among the 100 fastest growing between 2000 and 2010 but were among the 50 fastest growing from 2010 to 2011: Hinesville-Fort Stewart, Ga.; Columbus, Ga.-Ala.; Odessa, Texas; Fayetteville, N.C.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Bismarck, N.D.; Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Fla.; Gulfport-Biloxi, Miss.; and Hattiesburg, Miss.

Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, Wash., and Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, Texas, were the nation’s two fastest-growing metro areas between 2010 and 2011, with population increases of 4.3 percent and 3.9 percent, respectively. U.S. Census Bureau

The U.S. average weekly wage increased over the year by 5.3 percent to $916 in the third quarter of 2011. Among the large counties in the U.S., Lake, Ohio, had the largest over-the-year increase in average weekly wages with a gain of 17.1 percent. Within Lake, a total wage increase of $124.7 million (48.5 percent) in the manufacturing industry had the largest impact on the county’s over-the-year increase in average weekly wages. A third quarter acquisition in this industry resulted in large payouts, which may include bonuses and stock options. Clay, Mo., experienced the largest decline in average weekly wages with a loss of 2.3 percent over the year. US Bureau of Labor Statistics

In January, 270 metropolitan areas reported over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment, 94 reported decreases, and 8 had no change. The largest over-the-year employment increase occurred in New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. (+121,300), followed by Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, Texas (+94,700), Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas (+69,700), and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Ga. (+68,400). The largest over-the-year percentage gain in employment was reported in Ocean City, N.J. (+12.9 percent), followed by Columbus, Ind. (+11.0 percent), and Odessa, Texas (+9.1 percent). The largest over-the-year decreases in employment occurred in Fort Smith, Ark.-Okla.-6,400), Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville, Calif. (-5,100), and Ithaca, N.Y. (-3,500). The largest over-the-year percentage decreases in employment were reported in Fort Smith, Ark.-Okla., and Ithaca, N.Y. (-5.6 percent each), and Elmira, N.Y.(-3.8 percent). Bureau of Labor Statistics

• Cities and their metros dominate the US export market, accounting for 88% of merchandise value and housing all the nation’s major ports.  Our largest metros are also our top exporters, with the 20 biggest metro economies comprising 50% of the total US share.
• Over the last few years foreign trade has grown tremendously in metros.  From 2005-­‐2008, export merchandise value increased in 300 metros, expanded by over 50% in 168 of them, and doubled in 70.
• For many small metros, the impact of exports on their local economies is enormous.  In the Kingsport-­‐Bristol metro, exports are nearly 60% as large as GMP, followed by Peoria with 51.6%. The United States Conference of Mayors

Eight percent of the bachelor’s degrees in the state of California were in an education field, but this percentage was much higher (20 percent) in the El Centro metropolitan area. Nationally, the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metropolitan area had among the lowest percentage of degrees in an education field at 5 percent. US Census Bureau