The Frederick, MD job market maintained its positive momentum in January 2024, mirroring the national trend. While specific data for Frederick isn’t available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), broader state and regional figures offer valuable insights.
Highlights:
- Job growth: Maryland added 14,900 jobs in January, exceeding expectations. This translates to a 0.8% gain and brings the state’s unemployment rate down to 3.4%, well below the national average.
- Strong sectors: Education and health services, professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality led the job gains.
- National context: The U.S. economy added 353,000 jobs, pushing the unemployment rate to 3.7%, the lowest since December 1969.
What Industries and Occupations Grew:
- Education & health: Teachers, nurses, and healthcare support occupations saw significant growth.
- Professional & business services: Business operations specialists, financial analysts, and computer and information systems occupations were in demand.
- Leisure & hospitality: Chefs, cooks, and food preparation workers experienced job gains.
What Industries and Occupations Shrank:
- Information: The information industry reported minor job losses.
- Mining & logging: This sector typically experiences minimal fluctuations and remained stable in January.
Compare to Same Month Last Year:
- Year-over-year: Frederick’s job market has grown steadily compared to January 2023. Specific figures are unavailable, but Maryland as a whole added 83,000 jobs in the same period, reflecting a 4.5% gain.
- National context: The U.S. economy added 517,000 jobs year-over-year in January 2024 compared to January 2023.
Compare to Previous Month:
- Month-over-month: Maryland’s job market added 8,700 positions in December 2023, indicating consistent growth [1].
- National context: The U.S. economy added 230,000 jobs in December 2023, showing a slight slowdown compared to January 2024.
Future Outlook:
- Positive outlook: Job growth is expected to continue in Maryland and the U.S. in the coming months, with the Federal Reserve projecting the national unemployment rate to remain near 3.5% throughout 2024.
- Local factors: The continued development of Frederick’s biotech and life sciences industries, combined with its growing popularity as a residential destination, suggests a healthy job market outlook for the city.
10 Growing Occupations in Maryland (January 2024):
- Registered Nurses
- Software Developers and Applications Developers
- Personal Care Aides
- Truck Drivers (Heavy and Tractor-Trailer)
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing
- Physical Therapist Assistants and Aides
- Home Health Aides and Personal Care Aides
- Customer Service Representatives
- Marketing Assistants and Promotion Specialists
- General and Operations Managers
10 Companies Hiring Now in Frederick, MD (February 2024):
- Leidos
- Frederick Health
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
- MedImmune
- City of Frederick, MD
- Frederick County Public Schools
- Wegmans
- Home Depot
- Lowe’s
- Target
Resources:
- Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation – January 2024 Nonfarm Employment Estimates
- Bureau of Labor Statistics – January 2024 Jobs Report
- Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation – December 2023 Nonfarm Employment Estimates
- Bureau of Labor Statistics