U.S. Job Creation Flat in November; West and East regions saw job gains last month.
Byline: Joy Wilke
Synopsis: After dipping in October, Gallup's Job Creation Index remained flat at +20 in November. This is the highest November reading Gallup has recorded, but is in line with most monthly averages since April.
PRINCETON, NJ -- Gallup's Job Creation Index was relatively stable in November at +20, remaining in line with readings since April. At the same time, last month's score is the highest recorded in any November since Gallup began tracking this measure daily in 2008. The index remains much more positive now than during the 2008-2009 recession and its immediate aftermath.
The index for November reflects the difference between the 36% of U.S. workers who say their employer is expanding its workforce and the 16% of workers whose employers are letting people go.
Forty-three percent say their employer is not changing the size of its workforce, a proportion that has remained relatively flat over the past few years.
Midwest Still Leading the Nation in Job Creation
Employers in the Midwest continue to lead the way in job creation, with the Job Creation Index in this region standing in the low to mid-20s since February. The West saw a three-point increase in November, to +20 from +17, possibly reversing a downward trend between June and October. The index rose two points in the East, and now stands at +18.
The index in the South has dropped four points since June, though it remains higher than in the East, which has had the lowest scores for almost all of the past year.
Bottom Line
After falling slightly in October, the jobs situation in the U.S. showed little change in November, but it stands above levels from recent Novembers. Job creation remains higher than it was from late 2008 through early 2012, but has not yet rebounded to the pre-recession levels seen in early 2008. Job growth is happening at different paces across the country, with the rate in the Midwest remaining comparatively high, and job creation in the South sliding continuously since June.
Gallup.com reports results from these indexes in daily, weekly, and monthly averages and in Gallup.com stories. Complete trend data are always available to view and export in the following charts:
Daily: Employment, Economic Confidence, Job Creation, Consumer Spending Weekly: Employment, Economic Confidence, Job Creation, Consumer Spending
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