What does this measure?
The net growth or decline in jobs by sector, shown as a percentage gain or loss from 2001 to 2019.
Why is this important?
Job growth by sector is a key indicator of economic vitality, and reveals how the structure of industry and the composition of employment in the region are changing.
How is our county doing?
Among large sectors, Essex County has seen the greatest growth in the Financial Activities (70%), Healthcare and Social Assistance (53%) and Leisure and Hospitality (37%) sectors. The biggest decline among major sectors was in Manufacturing, where jobs fell 30%. Some smaller sectors had large gains or declines: Educational Services, with 3% of total jobs, grew 70% since 2001, and Information, with 1.5% of all jobs, declined 28%. Trends in Essex County were very similar to statewide and national trends.
The largest sectors in Essex County in 2019 were Health Care and Social Assistance and Trade, Transportation and Utilities with 15% and 17% of total jobs, followed by Professional and Business Services (14%), Leisure and Hospitality (10%), and Government (9.0%). These shares were largely similar to the state and national distribution of jobs.
How do we compare to similar counties?
Essex County's trends were very similar to trends in the comparison counties. All the counties, for example, had losses in Manufacturing - jobs fell 39% in Westchester, NY, 37% in Middlesex, MA and 1% in Lake County, IL. - and gains in Financial Activities - up 68% in Westchester, 71% in Middlesex and 30% in Lake.
Notes about the data
County employment estimates are reported by place of work, not place of residence. 2020 data for this indicator are expected to be released in the fourth quarter of 2021.