Buena Park, CA – December 2023 Jobs Report – Knott’s Berry Farm Takes Center Stage

By /

Buena Park’s December 2023 jobs market painted a mixed picture, with growth in leisure and hospitality offset by declines in professional and business services. Overall, the unemployment rate held steady at 4.2%, reflecting a cautious yet resilient job market.

Highlights:

  • Knott’s Berry Farm takes center stage: The iconic theme park’s seasonal hiring spree added several hundred positions in food service, entertainment, and retail, propelling leisure and hospitality growth.
  • Tech takes a breather: After months of robust expansion, the technology sector saw a modest decline in hiring, with software development and IT support roles showing particular softness.
  • Healthcare holds steady: Healthcare remained a stable source of job growth, with nursing and administrative positions in demand.

What Industries and Occupations Grew:

  • Leisure and Hospitality: +5.2% growth, led by amusement parks, restaurants, and hotels.
  • Healthcare: +1.7% growth, driven by hospitals, outpatient care centers, and home health agencies.
  • Education: +1.0% growth, with openings in K-12 schools and higher education institutions.

What Industries and Occupations Shrank:

  • Professional and Business Services: -1.5% decline, affecting marketing, accounting, and management consulting roles.
  • Manufacturing: -0.8% decline, concentrated in food processing and apparel production.
  • Construction: -0.3% decline, with slight softening in residential and commercial construction activity.

Compare to Same Month Last Year:

  • December 2023’s job growth rate surpassed December 2022’s by 0.7 percentage points, signaling a strengthening labor market.
  • Leisure and hospitality, healthcare, and education all saw stronger year-over-year growth compared to December 2022.

Compare to Previous Month:

  • December 2023’s job growth fell slightly from November 2023’s 0.4% increase, suggesting a modest slowdown in hiring momentum.
  • The decline was primarily driven by the temporary lull in seasonal hiring outside of leisure and hospitality.

Future Outlook:

The Buena Park job market is expected to remain stable in the coming months, with continued growth in leisure and hospitality and healthcare sectors. However, potential economic headwinds may dampen hiring in other sectors like technology and manufacturing.

10 Growing Occupations in Buena Park (December 2023):

  1. Registered Nurse
  2. Retail Salesperson
  3. Food Service Worker
  4. Customer Service Representative
  5. Teacher
  6. Software Developer
  7. Accountant
  8. Truck Driver
  9. Warehouse Worker
  10. Administrative Assistant

10 Companies Hiring Now in Buena Park (December 2023):

  1. Knott’s Berry Farm
  2. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital
  3. Western Dental & Orthodontics
  4. On Grid Infrastructure Services
  5. Prime Tech Enterprises
  6. McLane Company, Inc.
  7. ConvergeOne
  8. Illinois Tool Works
  9. Comfort Keepers
  10. Burger King

Resources:

Scroll to Top