Do you want to work where the people are?

By Andrew Mattingly

This excerpt from a Beyond the Numbers article provides an overview of the employment composition and wages of the seven metropolitan areas with the highest population growth rates (high-growth areas) and the seven metropolitan areas with the lowest population growth rates or that have lost population (low-growth or declining population areas) using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). It compares national, high-growth area, and lowgrowth or declining population area employment shares to indicate whether jobs are more common in areas with high population growth, areas with low population growth, or neither.

The fastest-growing large metro areas from 2010-2020 were concentrated in the South: Austin, Raleigh, Orlando, Dallas, Phoenix, San Antonio and Houston. The large metro areas with the lowest population growth rates, ranging from a 2% decrease to less than 1% growth, were concentrated in the Midwest and Northeast: Pittsburg, Cleveland, Rochester, Hartford, Buffalo, Chicago and Detroit. Food preparation and serving related, construction and extraction, office and administrative support occupations, and sales and continued on page 30

Cleveland-Elyria, OH continued from page 29 related occupations were generally more concentrated in the highgrowth areas. For each of these groups, the share of total employment in the high-growth areas was about 1 percentage point higher than in the low-growth or declining population areas. The highgrowth areas also had a higher employment share for installation, maintenance, and repair occupations (4.1 percent), compared with the low-growth or declining population areas (3.6 percent). The employment shares for these five occupational groups within the high-growth areas were also significantly higher than the respective national shares.

Community and social service occupations, health care support occupations, health care practitioners and technical occupations, and production occupations were generally more concentrated within the low-growth or declining population areas. Health care practitioners and technical occupations had an employment share that was 1.3 percentage points more in low-growth or declining population areas than in high-growth areas. Production occupations had an employment share that was 2.5 percentage points higher in low-growth or declining population areas. Health care support occupations made up 4.5 percent of employment in the low-growth or declining population group, which was in line with the national concentration of 4.7 percent but higher than the concentration of 3.8 percent in the high-growth group.

Metropolitan areas with lower growth rates had an older population than the areas with higher growth rates. Correspondingly, these areas also had higher shares of health care practitioners and technical occupations and health care support occupations compared with the high-growth areas.

The difference between the high-growth and low-growth or declining population areas was most evident in the concentration of health care practitioners and technical occupations as shown in chart 3. Health care practitioners and technical occupations made up 6.8 percent of employment within the low-growth or declining population areas and 5.5 percent of employment within the highgrowth areas.

Registered nurses — the largest occupation within the health care practitioners and technical group — followed a similar pattern. Six of the seven low-growth or declining population areas had employment shares of registered nurses higher than the U.S. average of 2.2 percent, and all seven high-growth areas had employment shares lower than the national share. Health care support occupations were also generally more concentrated in low-growth or declining population areas relative to high-growth areas.

Metropolitan areas that had low-growth or a declining population had relatively more employment in production occupations compared with the high-growth areas. Among the low-growth or declining population areas, metropolitan areas that historically served as industrial centers, such as Detroit (9.7 percent), and Cleveland (8.1 percent), had the largest shares of production occupations. Pittsburgh was an outlier as the only low-growth or declining population area with a concentration of production occupations (5.1 percent)

Buffalo-CheektowagaNiagara Falls, NY

Detroit-WarrenDearborn, MI

Hartford-West HartfordEast Hartford, CT

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

San AntonioNew Braunfels, TX

Phoenix-MesaScottsdale, AZ

Houston-The WoodlandsSugar Land, TX

Orlando-KissimmeeSanford, FL

Raleigh, NC

Dallas-Fort WorthArlington, TX

Austin-Round Rock, TX below the national concentration (6.0 percent). High-growth areas had more food preparation and serving related occupations and sales and related occupations.

Food preparation and serving related occupations and sales and related occupations — two of the largest occupational groups in the country with common occupations such as waiters and waitresses, fast food and counter workers, restaurant cooks, cashiers, and retail salespeople — had larger shares in high-growth areas than in lowgrowth or declining population areas.

Food preparation and serving related occupations constituted 8.6 percent of employment within the high-growth areas and 7.3 percent of employment within the low-growth or declining population areas.

In the high-growth group, waiters and waitresses and restaurant cooks made up more employment than in the low-growth or declining population group.

Sales and related occupations constituted 10.0 percent of employment within the high-growth areas and 8.9 percent of employment within the low-growth or declining population areas.

Conclusion

These data highlight key similarities and differences between the occupational composition of large metropolitan areas with high and low population growth rates. High-growth areas had higher concentrations of food preparation and serving related occupations; construction and extraction occupations; sales and related occupations; office and administrative support occupations; and installation, maintenance, and repair occupations. Low-growth or declining population areas had higher concentrations of production occupations, community and social service occupations, health care practitioners and technical occupations, and health care support occupations.

Andrew Mattingly is an economist in the Office of Employment and Unemployment Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

FARGO, N.D. • Former Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota Brent Sanford has joined the Cornerstone Bank Corporate Board of Directors bringing a wealth of experience in business, finance, and community service.

“I am pleased to welcome Brent to our Corporate Board of Directors,” says Cornerstone Bank Chairman Gary Petersen. “Brent is a great addition to our organization with his broad experience and tremendous business knowledge of the Dakotas and beyond.”

Growing up in Watford City and returning there in adulthood as a third-generation business owner, Sanford understands the importance of strong communities including the value of a strong community bank. Prior to serving as North Dakota’s 38th Lieutenant Governor, Sanford served as Watford City’s Mayor leading the community through immense growth and development during the oil boom. He has also served as City Councilman and on various other community boards. In addition, Sanford has experience as an accountant and Chief Financial Officer.

“I look forward to working with the Board in furthering the economic activity and opportunities for the bank’s service areas,” says Sanford. “Cornerstone Bank has always been an outstanding corporate citizen and I am excited to be a part of continuing that tradition.” continued from page 31

Sanford graduated from the University of North Dakota with a degree in accounting and is a certified public accountant. He and his wife Sandi have three children, Sydney, Nicolas and Erin.

ST CLOUD, MN • Adam Kremer recently joined Apex’s newest office in St. Cloud as a municipal engineering technician. In his role, he will support

WEST FARGO, N.D. • Alerus is pleased to announce the addition of Trevor Mathew as a senior financial guide. In this role, he delivers comprehensive financial advice to meet clients’ complex and unique long-term objectives. He is based in Alerus’ West Fargo office.

Mathew joined Alerus in November 2022, bringing more than 12 years of financial services experience, specializing in providing personalized financial solutions to help clients achieve their financial the team through CADD Drafting, in-the-field project inspection, and surveying. Kremer has earned an associate’s degree in land surveying and civil engineering from St. Cloud Technical and Community College. Prior to Apex, he was a survey intern at a consulting engineering firm.

goals. He holds Series 7 and Series 66 securities registrations and is licensed for life and health insurance. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from North Dakota State University and is a graduate of the Dakota School of Banking. An active member of his community, Mathew serves as chair of the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce Professionals of Color committee, chapter president for Business Network International, and is a member of Rotary International. He also serves on the boards of directors for Hope Blooms and the Fargo Theatre.

FARGO, N.D.

• Nick Shores, the new Limagrain Cereal Seeds (LCS) regional commercial manager for the Northern Plains, has a degree in biological and physical sciences, experience researching and developing spring wheat varieties, and a passion for working with growers, the company said in a news release.

Shores brings experience and a wealth of knowl- edge to LCS including seven years working with sugar beet growers for the American Crystal Sugar Company and an adolescence spent working sales for his parents’ flooring company.

Shores is excited to be back with his first passion: working with spring wheat and wheat growers. And he’s happy to make his return with LCS.

“I’ve been admiring LCS and seeing them gain traction in the Northern Plains over the years,” says Shores. “Their products are great.” continued on page 34