Health care a leading sector in December job growth

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Health care was a leading sector for job growth in 2024, with monthly job additions on par with 2023, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in the U.S. Department of Labor.

The national jobless rate was 4.1% for December, following a trend of hovering at 4.1% to 4.2% for the past seven months in 2024, according to the BLS report. The national workforce had approximately 6.9 million people unemployed, with little change from month to month.

Health care added 46,100 jobs in December, according to BLS. That included 20,600 new positions in ambulatory health care services, 15,200 workers in home health care services, and 10,400 jobs in offices of physicians.

Hospitals added 11,500 new staff, while nursing and residential care facilities grew by 14,400 workers and medical and diagnostic laboratories increased by 1,200 workers. Offices of dentists declined by 3,700 staff, outpatient care centers and other ambulatory health care services each lost 2,800 jobs.

Overall, health care added an average of 57,000 jobs a month in 2024, the same monthly average as 2023, according to BLS.

Other sectors

In other sectors, retail trade added 43,000 jobs in December 2024, following a decline of 29,000 jobs the month before. Clothing, clothing accessories, shoe and jewelry retailers added 23,000 jobs, while general merchandise retailers added 13,000 workers and health and personal care retailers grew by 7,000 positions. Building material and garden equipment and supply dealers lost 11,000 positions. After an average monthly gain of 10,000 workers in 2023, the sector changed little in 2024, according to BLS.

Government employment continued its upward trend, adding 33,000 workers in December for an average monthly gain of 37,000 jobs for 2024. That was lower than the average monthly gain of 59,000 the year before.

Social assistance work grew by 23,000 in December, with much of that from 17,000 new jobs in individual and family services. Social assistance added an average of 18,000 jobs a month for the year; monthly growth averaged 23,000 new posts in 2023, according to BLS.

Leisure and hospitality added 43,000 jobs last month. That sector’s 2024 average monthly growth of 24,000 jobs was little more than half the monthly average increase of 47,000 in 2023, the BLS report said.

Other major industries showed little change from November to December 2024. BLS reported those included mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; construction; manufacturing; wholesale trade; transportation and warehousing; information; financial activities; professional and business services; and other services.

From the White House

In a statement, President Joe Biden said his administration created conditions for businesses to create jobs every single month, leading to 16.6 million new jobs during his presidency.

“Although I inherited the worst economic crisis in decades with unemployment above 6% when I took office, we’ve had the lowest average unemployment rate of any administration in 50 years with unemployment at 4.1% as I leave,” the president’s statement said. “Although forecasts were projecting it would take years to achieve a full recovery, we have had the strongest growth and employment creation of any advanced country, brought inflation back down, and achieved the soft landing that few thought was possible. My administration has achieved record high employment rates for working age women and the lowest black-white unemployment gap on record. Incomes are up almost $4,000 more than prices.

“There is more to do to lower costs, but we’ve taken action to lower prescription drug prices, health insurance premiums, utility bills, and gas prices that will pay dividends for years to come,” the president’s statement said. “This has been a hard-fought recovery, but we’ve made progress for working families, showing what can be accomplished when we build from the middle out and bottom up.”