Source: Nelson D. Schwartz, New York Times
The economy added 263,000 jobs in April 2019, a big gain over over the 190,000 jobs that analysts expected.
The unemployment rate declined by 0.2%, to 3.6%, which is the lowest in 50 years. The average hourly wage increased by 6 cents versus the previous month, to $27.77.
The economy continues to show strong growth, and has created 20 million jobs since the Great Recession ended in 2009.
| 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4.0% | 4.1% | 4.8% |
| February | 3.8% | 4.1% | 4.7% |
| March | 3.8% | 4.1% | 4.5% |
| April | 3.6% | 3.9% | 4.4% |
| May | – | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| June | – | 4.0% | 4.4% |
| July | – | 3.9% | 4.3% |
| August | – | 3.9% | 4.4% |
| September | – | 3.7% | 3.7% |
| October | – | 3.7% | 4.1% |
| November | – | 3.7% | 4.1% |
| December | – | 3.9% | 4.1% |
| April 2019 Jobs Added | March 2019 Jobs added | |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation & Warehousing | +11,100 | +7,300 |
| Construction | +33,000 | +16,000 |
| Manufacturing | +4,000 | -6,000 |
| Retail Trade | -12,700 | -11,700 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics