The U.S. economy gained 199,000 jobs in November, and the unemployment rate dropped to 3.7%, according to figures released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
November’s biggest job gains were in health care (+77,000), government (+49,000), leisure and hospitality (+40,000), manufacturing (+28,000), social assistance (+16,000), and information (+10,000). Employment declined in retail trade (-38,000) and transportation and warehousing (-5,000). Employment showed little change over the month in other major industries, including mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; construction; wholesale trade; financial activities; professional and business services; and other services.
Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rate for teenagers (11.4%) edged down in November. The jobless rates for Black Americans (5.8%), Hispanics (4.6%), adult men (3.7%), Asian Americans (3.5%), White Americans (3.3%) and adult women (3.1%) showed little or no change over the month.
The number of long-term unemployed workers (those jobless for 27 weeks or longer) edged down in November and accounted for 18.3% of the total number of people unemployed.